The Chase

When Zorro left Lolita, he decided to ride to the presidio. He left his horse outside the building and he looked through the window of Captain Ramon's office. Captain Ramon was inside the room, sitting by a fire. There were lighted candles on a table behind him. The captain was reading a letter and he was smiling.

" What news is in that letter? " Zorro asked himself. He entered the building quietly. Nobody saw him. He opened the door to the captain's office, Ramon looked up in surprise.

" Give me that letter, señ or! " said Zorro. When Zorro read the letter, he was very angry. " You want to make trouble for the señ orita, " he said. " So you tell lies about her family to the governor."

Zorro threw the letter onto the fire. It was a copy of the letter which Ramon's messenger was taking to San Francisco. But Zorro did not know about the other copy.

At that moment, the two men heard the sound of horses. Sergeant Gonzales was returning with his soldiers. " Gonzales! " shouted Captain Ramon. " Come quickly! Save me! Zorro is here! "

Gonzales and his men rushed into the room. Zorro pushed the candles off the table. Now the room was dark except for the light from the fire. Zorro walked to the door. The soldiers were running around the room. Sometimes they hit each other in the darkness.

Zorro ran out of the presidio and jumped onto his horse.

Gonzales and his men followed Zorro out of the build­ing. They saw him riding away and they shot at him with their pistols. But Zorro laughed and rode faster. " Go after him! " shouted Gonzales. The soldiers jumped onto their horses and they rode after Zorro.

The moon was shining brightly. The soldiers could see Zorro clearly in front of them. He was riding very fast. They all rode on—Zorro in front, and the line of soldiers behind him.

They rode for a long time. Zorro's horse was getting tired. As the masked man rode, he thought of a plan.

Not far away, on the top of a small hill, there was a farm. It belonged to the Franciscan brothers of the Mission of San Gabriel. These priests did not have fine clothes or expensive things. They worked hard and they lived simply and quietly. The person who looked after the farm was an old man called Fray Felipe—Brother Felipe. " I will visit Fray Felipe, " Zorro thought. But Sergeant Gonzales knew about the farm too. " Zorro will stop at the brothers' house, " he said to himself. " He is a friend of the Franciscans in the missions, and he often helps these priests. He'll ask Fray Felipe to hide him."

When the soldiers were near the farm, they stopped their horses and they listened. Everything was quiet. There were no lights burning in the house.

Gonzales rode up to the door of the farm and he knocked on it loudly. After a minute, Fray Felipe opened the door. He was holding a candle. " We're chasing Señ or Zorro, " said Gonzales rudely. " Have you seen him tonight? "

" No, " replied Fray Felipe. " I don't know this man." " I don't believe you, " said Sergeant Gonzales. " You are hiding him here, and I will find him."

" Search the house! " the sergeant shouted to his men. He got down from his horse and pushed Fray Felipe against the wall. The soldiers followed the sergeant into the house and they began to search the rooms. Gonzales went into the living room.

A man got up from a chair at the end of the room. Gonzales stared at him in astonishment.

" Don Diegо! " hе said. " Why are you here? "

" I'm returning from my hacienda, " replied Don Diego. " I came to Fray Felipe's house for the night. He's a friend of my family. But why are you here, Sergeant? "

" We're chasing Zorro, " replied Gonzales. " Have you seen him? "

" No, " said Don Diego. " He isn't here."

" Oh, " said Gonzales. " So Zorro has escaped again! "

" You look very tired, my friend, " said Don Diego. " Please sit down. Fray Felipe will bring wine for you and your men."

Fray Felipe brought his best wine and the soldiers drank it. Gonzales talked with Don Diego.

" That wine was excellent, " Gonzales said at last. " But now we must continue our journey."

" Where are you going next? " asked Don Diego.

" Zorro isn't here, " said Sergeant Gonzales. " Perhaps he has ridden back to the town. So we must follow him."

" Can't you forget about this man, Zorro? " said Don Diego in a tired voice. " I hate fighting and violence! A quiet, peaceful life is best! "