"Somewhere in Monterey, a man is walking around with a bullet in his left shoulder." "The man that Zorro shot in the cabin last night." "Right." "And if we can find him, we'II have a clue as to the identity of the bandits who keep robbing the couriers." "What happened?" "He is a courier from San Luis Obispo, Senor de Ia Vega." "He had the money for the supplies from Spain until he was met by bandits." " Did they get the money?" " Si, every peso." "Gomez, get the doctor." "Take him into my room." "Every pueblo in california is sending Verdugo money for supplies, and courier after courier is being shot and robbed." "Do you accuse Senor Verdugo?" "I name no names." "But if I had 1 7,000 pesos on the way from Los angeles," "I would exercise a great deal of caution." "Thank you for the advice." "I'II keep it in mind." "So even the innkeeper knows how much money" "Los angeles is sending Senor Verdugo." "You know, it seems that information has a way of escaping Senor Verdugo." "At any rate, we must ride out to the hacienda." "He should know about this." "matter of Iife and death." "No room for failure." "I'd be willing to pay you well, and I'II pay you in advance." "And a bonus to be paid later if you are successful." " But I warn you, senor..." " Look at Senor Verdugo." "...if you accept my money and do not carry out my assignment..." "Yes, I know, I know." "I will do it, Senor Verdugo." "You can depend on me." "I recognize the other man." "He was one of the bandits at the cabin last night." "Senor de Ia Vega." "Senorita Verdugo, this is a pleasure." " What can I do for you?" " I came here to see your father." "That is impossible, senor." "He is not at home." "well, perhaps he could have come in without your knowing it." "Or perhaps I was mistaken when I thought I just saw him." "It may have been, but he still cannot see you." "Oh?" "He is indisposed." "well, that's most unfortunate." "I do hope he's not ill." "It is an old injury." "And now, if there's nothing else..." "Perhaps I can offer my personal sympathy to him." "I have told you, you cannot see him." "Senorita, my business is of the greatest importance, regarding the money from Los angeles." "I know all about your matters of importance." "You have come here to make more insulting insinuations against my father." "well, you shall not." "please leave, senor." "Senor, will you please leave." "My business with your father is extremely important." "I'II wait." "Oh..." "Oh, if Romero were not out of town," "I would have him throw you off the hacienda." "Ha." "unfortunately, senorita, Senor Serrano is not here, and I am, so why not make the best of it?" "Very well." "I can be just as stubborn as you." "Don Diego, welcome." "Why was I not told?" "Father, you should be resting." "well, can a man rest all his life?" "She would have me in bed 23 hours a day." " And she can be most persuasive." " You have no idea." "Anna Maria, have pablo bring refreshments for our guest." "Now, then, Don Diego, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" "First, senor, I would Iike to offer my condolences on the injury to your arm." "Oh." "An old war wound." "It acts up occasionally." "And at the most peculiar times, I imagine." "And by the way, had you heard that the courier from San Luis Obispo was waylaid and robbed this morning on his way to Monterey?" " Yes, so I was told." "A terrible thing." " Yes." "I'm greatly concerned that the same thing does not happen to the Los angeles couriers, but I don't think it will." "I wish I couId share your optimism." "Perhaps you can." "I'd anticipated the danger of robbery, senor." "Before leaving Los angeles, I gave special directions to the soldiers escorting the money." "You see, they had been coming up EI Camino real." "But today, after leaving SoIedad, they will leave EI Camino real and take the guadalupe valley trail." "excellent, Don Diego." "And when the bandits set up their ambush along EI Camino real, they will have a Iong and fruitless wait." "excellent." "Yes, I thought you'd Iike to know this." "As a matter of fact, Sergeant Garcia and corporal Reyes should be safely at the guadalupe way station by mid-afternoon." "well, pablo, you are just in time." "Before you go, Don Diego, a toast." "To the safe arrival of the money." "To justice, senor." "Don't worry, Garcia and Reyes will come up EI Camino real as planned." "Yes, it's a trap." "Of course." "Come on, corporal." "Hurry up." "It is hot today." "I am thirsty." "Ahh..." "Oh..." "Between here and Monterey on EI Camino real, there is nothing." "But, uh, on the guadalupe valley trail..." "corporal, is not the guadalupe Winery that way?" " I think so." " I was just thinking too." "We are carrying a great deal of money with us, corporal." "Now, uh, what does everybody expect us to do?" " steal it?" " No." "No, stupid." "I mean, which trail do they expect us to take?" "The one that goes past the winery." "No." "They would expect us to travel over EI Camino real." "Why?" "Because that is the logical way." "Besides, we told Don Diego we were going to come that way." "It is just common sense." "well, if you say so, sergeant." "But, corporal, have you not heard it said:" ""Never let your right hand know what your left hand is doing"?" "My left hand isn't doing anything, sergeant." "Neither is your head, baboso." "well, it is hot and dry and dusty, but let us get started." "Sergeant?" "You know what I wish?" "No." "What do you wish?" "I wish we would go the other way, by the guadalupe Winery." "It would be good on a hot day, no?" "Why, corporal, what a splendid idea." "So the soldiers think to get through to Monterey simply by taking another trail." "I am impressed, pablo." "AII things are possible with an organization." "Much more than you know." "Get the horses out of sight." "You, get up on the rocks and keep watch." "You see?" "AII you have to do to get a message to the bandits is to tell it to Senor Verdugo in secret." "Notice that man in the light shirt." "Verdugo's personal servant, pablo." "while they have a Iong wait, we will cut across the mountains to EI Camino real and escort Sergeant Garcia into Monterey." "impossible." "But they're supposed to be coming up the other road." "They're heading straight into the trap." "I will see you later in town." " Sergeant." "Look!" " Eh?" "Whoa..." " Zorro." " No, that cannot be Zorro." "He always rides a black horse." "The money." "Wait, sergeant." "Sergeant Garcia, wait!" "Wait, sergeant." "Sergeant Garcia!" "Sergeant Garcia." "Wait, sergeant." "Sergeant Garcia!" "We will be safer inside." "Ahh..." "Now we can relax." "Drop your guns." " What did you say?" " I said, drop your guns." "You shot my corporal." " Why, you..." " Don't be foolish, sergeant." "Drop your sword to the floor." "You are wise, sergeant." "Now you will live longer." "I have met many bandidos since I joined the army, but you are the most inconsiderate." "You talk too much." "To remove a man is bad enough, but that he must do this first." "Dig the hole." "It is not bad enough that I must dig my own, but that a sergeant must do this for a corporal is not dignified." "I would help you if I couId." "You." "You, a Spanish soldier." "I'm surprised at you." "Letting a simple flesh wound keep you from doing a little digging." "Think of the size of the hole I'm going to have to dig for me." "Less talk, you." "I want to get this over with." "Somehow, I don't feel much like hurrying." "But why must we kill the soldiers?" "We have the money." "These are not ordinary couriers." "If they knew we robbed Spanish soldiers, we would swing like so many dried peppers." "But if the two soldiers simply disappear, how can anyone be blamed?" "I suppose so." "Pio will take care of it, neatly and quietly." "Who will ever find them buried here?" "Now what is the matter?" "I just want to be sure nothing goes wrong." "Hey, compadre, everything all right, no?" "It's deep enough." " Oh, no, senor, not yet." " You're not digging a well." "I know, but still it is far too small." "You would not want to cramp corporal Reyes." "It's deep enough." "Maybe if I took just a little more out from down here," " so he could stretch out if he wants to." " I don't mind, sergeant." "Since this is going to be so permanent, shouldn't it be more comfortable?" " Just a little deeper, that's all." " Si." "corporal Reyes, look, it's" "Dig." "But I haven't got a sword." "What do you mean, you don't have a sword?" "well, I" " Heh." "I only have the shovel." "If I had a sword, I couId dig much faster." "In the army, we never use shovels to dig." "We only use swords." "Ah." "So you want me to turn around so you could hit me on the head with that shovel." "The shovel." "Of course." "Do you think I was born yesterday?" "Oh, no, senor." "I" "I do not think you were born yesterday, but there could be somebody sneaking up on you right now." "Ha-ha-ha." "Maybe a stupid soldier would be taken in by that, but not me." "You don't believe me?" "Of course not." "Do you think I'm asleep?" "Si, I think you are asleep." "Zorro." "Is it really you?" "You've been wounded, corporal." "Can you get on a horse and get out of here?" "Si, senor Zorro." " Where's the money?" " Inside." "Oh." "PaIomares, good." "Have the Los angeles couriers arrived yet?" "Si, senor, they have arrived." "This is the money that they carried?" "Si, it is the same money." "If you have the money, what happened to the couriers?" "The same thing that will happen to you, old man." "pablo." "What are you doing here?" " I told you to tell no one." " You are stupid, senor." "Even now you do not understand." "Understand?" "What is there to--?" "You." "AII along, you were the informer." "You see, Francisco?" "The dawn." "Why, you dogs..." "What happened to the couriers?" "We plan to leave no witnesses, senor, including yourself." "You treacherous vermin." "It will pleasure me to see you cringe before the Verdugo sword." "We will see who cringes." "Your arm, senor." "This is the weak one, no?" "Your arm is not so strong, eh, old man?" "Shoot him." " He's gone." " Si." "well, sergeant, I leave it to you." "That Zorro." "Ha." "still, I would have captured pablo if he had not bumped into me." "You are wounded, senor?" "Oh, it is nothing, sergeant." "I'm not as young as I once was." "But you have not forgotten how to use your sword." "If I had full use of my arms, I would have run them both through." "One of my few handicaps from service to our king." "An old war wound, acts up periodically." "I'm sorry, senor." "But, senor, I still do not understand all this." "It is simple, sergeant." "I wanted to hire a man to protect you and the other couriers." "That one, my former servant, recommended this one, and I hired him and sent him here." "well, senor, the next time you wish to hire someone to protect me, would you hire me, please?" "I would feel much safer."