The Curse of Capistrano | Page 6

hand," Senor Zorro continued. "I shall
engage this sergeant with my right, in the proper manner, and as I fight
I shall keep an eye on the corner. The first move from any of you,
senores, means that I fire. I am expert with this you have termed the
devil's weapon, and if I fire some men shall cease to exist on this earth

of ours. It is understood?"
The corporal and soldiers and landlord did not take the . trouble to
answer. Senor Zorro looked Gonzales straight in the eyes again, and a
chuckle came from behind his mask.
"Sergeant, you will turn your back until I can draw my blade," he
directed. "I give you my word as a caballero that I shall not make a foul
attack."
"As a caballero?" Gonzales sneered.
"I said it, senor!" Zorro replied, his voice ringing a threat.
Gonzales shrugged his shoulders and turned his back. In an instant he
heard the voice of the highwayman again.
"On guard, senor!"
Chapter 4
Swords Clash--And Pedro Explains
GONZALES WHIRLED AT THE WORD, and his blade came up. He
saw that Senor Zorro had drawn his sword, and that he was holding the
pistol in his left hand high above his head. Moreover, Senor Zorro was
chuckling still, and the sergeant became infuriated. The blades clashed.
Sergeant Gonzales had been accustomed to battling with men who gave
ground when they pleased and took it when they could, who went this
way and that seeking an advantage, now advancing, now retreating,
now swinging to left or right as their skill directed them.
But here he faced a man who fought in quite a different way. For Senor
Zorro, it appeared, was as if rooted to one spot and-unable to turn his
face in any other direction. He did not give an inch, nor did he advance,
nor step to either side.

Gonzales attacked furiously, as was his custom, and he found the point
of his blade neatly parried. He used more caution then and tried what
tricks he knew, but they seemed to avail him nothing. He attempted to
pass around the man before him, and the other's blade drove him back.
He tried a retreat, hoping to draw the other out, but Senor Zorro stood
his ground and forced Gonzales to attack again. As for the highwayman,
he did nought except put up a defense.
Anger got the better of Gonzales then, for he knew the corporal was
jealous of him and that the tale of this fight would be told to all the
pueblo tomorrow, and so travel up and down the length of El Camino
Real.
He attacked furiously, hoping to drive Senor Zorro off his feet and
make an end of it But he found that his attack ended as if against a
stone wall, his blade was turned aside, his breast crashed against that of
his antagonist, and Senor Zorro merely threw out his chest and hurled
him back half a dozen steps.
"Fight, senor!" Senor Zorro said.
"Fight yourself, cutthroat and thief!" the exasperated sergeant cried.
"Don't stand like a piece of the hills, fool! Is it against your religion to
take a step?"
"You cannot taunt me into doing it," the highwayman replied,
chuckling again.
Sergeant Gonzales realized then that he had been angry, and he knew
an angry man cannot fight with the blade as well as a man who controls
his temper. So he became deadly cold now, and his eyes narrowed, and
all boasting was gone from him.
He attacked again, but now he was alert, seeking an unguarded spot
through which he could thrust without courting disaster himself. He
fenced as he never had fenced in his life before. He cursed himself for
having allowed wine and food to rob him of his wind. From the front,
from either side, he attacked, only to be turned back again, all his tricks

solved almost before he tried them.
He had been watching his antagonist's eyes, of course, and now he saw
a change. They had seemed to be laughing through the mask, and now
they had narrowed and seemed to send forth flakes of fire.
"We have had enough of playing," Senor Zorro said. "It is time for the
punishment!"
And suddenly he began to press the fighting, taking step after step,
slowly and methodically going forward and forcing Gonzales backward.
The tip of his blade seemed to be a serpent's head with a thousand
tongues. Gonzales felt himself at the other's mercy, but he gritted his
teeth and tried to control himself and fought on.
Now he was with his back against the wall, but in such a position that
Senor Zorro could give him battle and watch the men in the corner at
the same time.