Don Diego Wants a Wife

Next morning, the storm was finished. The golden sun shone in a blue sky.

Don Diego Vega was riding his horse along a hot dusty road. He was wearing fine clothes and he was riding very slowly. He was going to make an important visit. He was going to visit the Pulido family.

The Pulidos were an old and noble family. But Don Carlos Pulido had done some things which made the Governor of California angry. Because of this, the gover­nor had taken a lot of land and money from Don Carlos. Now, the Pulidos were a poor family.

Don Carlos was sitting on the veranda of his hacienda. He was sitting in a comfortable chair. The veranda was cool and shady. Don Carlos was very surprised to see Don Diego.

" Nobody visits the Pulidos any more, " he said to himself. " What does this young man from the great Vega family want? "

A few moments later, Don Diego came onto the veranda.

" Welcome, Don Diego, " Don Carlos said to the young man. " Please sit down. Would you like some cake and wine? "

" Thank you, " replied Don Diego in a tired voice. " The weather is so hot and I've ridden a long way."

Don Carlos smiled. The journey from the town to his house was only four miles. It was easy for a young man to ride a powerful horse this distance.

A servant brought some wine. Then Don Diego spoke again.

" Don Carlos, I'm nearly twenty-five years old, " he said. " Yesterday, my father talked seriously to me. He wants me to get married. He wants me to have children. The Vega family is an old and noble one. So I must choose a wife from the same kind of family. The Pulido family is a noble family. You have a daughter, Don Carlos."

" Yes, " said Don Carlos. " My daughter, Lolita, is eigh­teen years old now."

" I've seen her several times, " said Don Diego. " She's beautiful аnd clever. Don Carlos, please may I marry her? " Don Carlos was excited. This was a wonderful thing for the Pulido family. The Vega family were friends of the Governor of California.

" Perhaps Don Diego will talk to the governor about my problems, " Don Carlos thought. " Perhaps the gover­nor will give me back my land. Then my family will be great again."

" I'll be very happy if you marry my daughter, " he said. Don Carlos's wife, Doñ a Catalina, came to the veranda. She heard the news. She was happy and excited too.

" It will be easy for you to win Lolita's love, señ or, " she said.

" Oh, " said Don Diego. " Must I win her love? I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in that kind of thing. I don't know how to say sweet things to a woman. Must I hold her hand, and play a guitar under her window? " He thought for a moment.

" I will send one of my servants to play a guitar for me, " he said. " Please make the wedding plans. Tell me when everything is ready."

Doñ a Catalina and Don Carlos looked at each other in astonishment.

" This is a very strange young man, " Doñ a Catalina thought. " Most young men enjoy winning a girl's love. And young girls want their husbands to win them. What will Lolita say about this? "

Suddenly, Lolita herself came to the veranda. She was a very beautiful young woman, with long black hair and lovely dark eyes.

" Señ orita, " said Don Diego. " I want to marry you. I've asked your father about this and he has agreed. Your parents are going to make all the plans for our wedding. A servant will tell me when everything is ready."

Lolita's black eyes flashed with anger.

" And a servant will come and play a guitar under my window! " she said. " I heard everything, señ or. You're a rich man and you're from a great family. But you don't know how to win a woman's love. I'm sorry, señ or, but I don't want to marry you. Goodbye."

Then she turned and walked proudly into the house.

" I don't understand, " said Don Diego. " Why is she angry with me? "

" Don't worry, señ or, " replied Don Carlos. " My daugh­ter will marry you. Visit her again in a few days.

When Don Diego had gone, Don Carlos talked to Lolita.

" My daughter, " he said. " If you marry Don Diego, the Pulido family will be great again. Please think about this."

Lolita was sad. She wanted to help her father. But she also wanted a brave, strong husband. She wanted a man who could win her love.

That afternoon, Lolita was in the garden of the hacienda. The weather was very hot. The young woman sat down by a small fountain. The sound of the moving water was soft and peaceful. Soon, Lolita felt tired and she closed her eyes.

Suddenly she opened her eyes again. Somebody had touched her hand. A tall man in a long cloak was stand­ing in front of her. He was wearing a black mask. His eyes were shining through two holes in the mask. He took off his sombrero.

Lolita knew who this man was. She had heard many stories about this thief.

" Don't be afraid, " said the masked man. " I'm Señ or Zorro. Perhaps you've heard of me? I'm not going to hurt you. I know about your father's problems with the gover­nor and I'm very sorry for your family."

" Thank you, " said Lolita. " But why are you here? " " I was passing your hacienda, " said Zorro. " It's a hot afternoon and I wanted to rest. I saw you and I wanted to speak to you. You're very beautiful."

" Thank you, señ or, " said Lolita. " But you must leave this place i mmediately. There's danger for you here. Somebody will see you and send for the soldiers." " Yes, " said Zorro. " You are right. I will go." He held Lolita's hand and kissed it gently.

The young woman looked into his bright eyes and her heart began to beat faster. Quickly, she pulled her hand away from him and she ran into the house.

Zorro put on his sombrero and walked slowly from the garden. Lolita watched him from a window.

" How brave he is, " she thought. " How brave and how different from Don Diego! "

4 Lolita's Three Admirers

That evening, while the Pulido family were eating dinner, a tall stranger entered their dining room. He was wearing a sombrero, a mask and a long cloak. Don Carlos and Doñ a Catalina stared at him in surprise and fear.

" I'm Señ or Zorro, " the man said to Don Carlos. " Please don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. I only want some food and drink."

Don Carlos thought quickly. He had an idea.

" Very well, " he said. " But my wife is frightened. Please let me take her into another room."

" Yes, of course, " said Zorro. " But the señ orita must stay here with me."

Don Carlos took Doñ a Catalina out of the room. Zorro spoke quietly to Lolita.

" I had to return, " he whispered. " I wanted to see your lovely face and I wanted to hear your soft voice again. My heart is full of love for you."

Then Don Carlos came back into the dining room. He was carrying some plates of food.

" Please sit down and eat, señ or, " Don Carlos said in a kind voice. " Tell us about your adventures. We've heard many stories about you."

Zorro started to talk. Don Carlos listened to him. But he was also listening for another sound — the sound of soldiers.

When Don Carlos had taken his wife into another room he had spoken to a servant. He had told the man to ride quickly to the town and bring some soldiers from the presidio. Now Don Carlos wanted to keep Zorro in his house until the soldiers arrived.

" Let me bring you some wine, señ or, " he said. He hurried from the room.

Quietly, Lolita spoke to the masked man.

" Señ or, you must go. I'm afraid. Perhaps my father has sent for the soldiers."

" He has sent for them—I know that, " said Zorro. " But I don't want to leave you."

Don Carlos returned with some glasses and a bottle of wine. Then a servant rushed into the room.

" Señ or! " he cried. " There are soldiers all around the house! "

There was a large candleholder in the middle of the table. Zorro picked it up and threw it onto the floor. The candles went out, and suddenly the room was dark. Lolita felt somebody touch her hand.

" Goodbye, señ orita! " Zorro whispered in her ear. Then he went quietly out of the room. A few seconds later, Lolita heard a horse galloping away from the hacienda.

The next moment, Sergeant Gonzales and his soldiers ran into the room. They were carrying lanterns.

" Where is Zorro? " shouted Gonzales angrily.

" He has escaped, " replied Don Carlos. " He rode away on his horse." Gonzales and the soldiers rushed out of the house. They jumped onto their horses and rode after Zorro.

Don Carlos went to the veranda for a minute. Everything was quiet outside. Then suddenly, he heard the sound of a galloping horse. He felt afraid.

" Zorro is coming hack, " he thought. " He'll kill me because I sent for the soldiers."

But it was not Zorro's horse. Captain Ramó n, the comandante of the soldiers had arrived at the hacienda.

Captain Ramó n was twenty-six years old, and he was tall and handsome. A few weeks before, he had come to Los Angeles from Santa Barbara, another town in south­ern California.

The captain came into the dining room and he saw Lolita with her father.

" What a lovely girl! " he thought.

" I'm sorry to enter your house at this hour, " he said to Don Carlos. " But we have to catch this thief, Zorro. He has done terrible things. He killed many men and women in Santa Barbara."

The captain stopped speaking. He had heard a noise. It had come from a large cupboard in the corner of the room. Suddenly, the door of the cupboard opened and a man stepped out of it. It was Zorro!

" That is a lie, señ or! " he said. " I didn't kill anybody in Santa Barbara."

" What are you doing here? " asked Don Carlos in astonishment. " We heard your horse galloping away."

Zorro laughed. " My horse is very clever, " he replied. " I've taught him to run away quickly. He makes a lot of noise. Then the soldiers follow him, not me. They won't catch him. He'll come back for me later."

Zorro turned to Captain Ramó n.

" Now, señ or, " he said. " I'm going to fight you! "

Captain Ramó n was very angry. He pulled his sword from its scabbard and began to fight Zorro. The captain was a good fighter, but Zorro was better. He wounded Captain Ramó n in the shoulder. Blood ran from the wound.

" That's enough, " said Zorro. " Good night, my friends. Don't tell lies about me again, Captain! " Then he ran out of the house. His horse was waiting at the door.

Zorro jumped onto the horse and rode away into the night. Captain Ramó n was not badly hurt. Don Carlos's servants cleaned the blood from his shoulder. Soon, he was drink­ing wine and talking to Don Carlos. The captain often looked at Lolita.

Suddenly, everybody heard footsteps on the veranda. A moment later, Don Diego Vega came into the room. Everybody looked at him in surprise.

" I saw the soldiers riding from the town, " Don Diego said to Don Carlos. " They told me about Zorro's visit. I was worried about you and your family."

" Thank you for coming, " replied Don Carlos. " We are safe, but Zorro has escaped. He fought with Captain Ramó n and wounded him in the shoulder."

The captain was looking at Lolita. Don Diego saw him looking at her and he did not like it.

" I understand, " he said. " Please can I have some wine?

I'm very tired. I've ridden here twice today from Los Angeles."

" But it's only four miles from here to the town, " said Captain Ramon. " That's nothing for a soldier."

" But I'm not a soldier, Captain, " replied Don Diego. " I'm a caballero—a gentleman." Now the captain was very angry. " What do you mean? " he said. " Can't a soldier be a gentleman too? "

Don Carlos was afraid. He did not want Don Diego and Captain Ramon to start fighting in his house. " Please, señ ores, have some wine! " he said loudly. Don Diego sat down beside Lolita.
" Is this captain going to stay here long? " he asked. Lolita smiled. Don Diego was jealous of Captain Ramon!
" Your daughter is very beautiful, " the captain said to Don Carlos. " May I try to win her love? "

Don Carlos thought quickly. Captain Ramon was not as rich as Don Diego. But he was a fine soldier. And he was a friend of the governor. He could help the Pulido family too.

" Well Captain, Don Diego also wants to marry my daughter, " Don Carlos said. " But she hasn't said yes to him yet. So you can try to win her love too." " Thank you, " said Captain Ramon. The captain smiled. He would win this fight. No woman wanted a weak man like Don Diego!

After Don Diego and Captain Ramon left to go back to the town, Don Carlos spoke to his daughter.

" Lolita, you have two admirers. Don Diego wants to marry you. Now the captain wants to win your love too, " he said. " Who will you choose? "

" I don't like the captain, " replied Lolita. " He stares at me."

" I don't understand you, " said Don Carlos. " You're not interested in Don Diego, the richest young man in the country. And now you don't like this fine young officer! "

Lolita could not sleep that night. She thought about her third admirer. She thought about Zorro. She thought about his words, and about the touch of his hand.

" Oh, why is he a thief? " she asked herself. " I love him! "