NOTE BY THE ACCOUNT HOLDER: THIS STORY IS NOT MINE!

WRITTEN BY KARLA GREGORY

Chapter Ten

Now, Diego for his part, as soon as he had dropped over the wall, ran as fast as he could to the other side of the street. Two houses up, he found a doorway that was recessed enough to provide a shadow to hide in.

Thus, he was already hidden when he saw Monastario's face appear above the wall. Holding perfectly still, he waited until he saw Monastario drop down and heard him begin shouting for his men. He took that moment to leave his hiding place and to move quickly up the street. He was not as familiar with this part of Madrid as he was the area around the university, but yes, if he took this turn… and then left here at this street… He would soon find the main road that lead to the heart of the city and there he could begin the most nebulous part of his escape plan. He could only hope Padre Ramon had not moved away during his absence, or he would find himself without anywhere to go.

Stopping to catch his breath, Diego saw a fountain nearby and he drank deeply. He started to splash some of the water on his head and neck when he remembered his sooty disguise. He would have to forgo the coolness of the water for now.

Moving on, he began to feel his weakness. His legs would tremble from fatigue whenever he stopped to look around for the pursuers he knew were trying to find him. Finally he came to the park that surrounded the west side of the university. He could go no further. It was still quite a distance to Padre Ramon's quarters. Looking about, he found an ancient oak he remembered had a substantial hollow on one side. He crept in and took refuge there. He had been there about ten minutes when he heard, (no it couldn't be!) Monastario's voice not more than twenty feet away.

"I know he will come here to the university! All of his friends and teachers were here. You, Lopez. Take your men around the south side. I will take the rest and go north and around. Look in every shadow just like this tree here. See this hollow? He could be hiding in such a place as this!" With that he took his sword and thrust it mightily into the tree's cavity. Diego just had time to duck down out of the way. Monastario tried to pull the sword loose, but found it was stuck in the wood of the tree when it pulled out of his hand, leaving him standing empty handed. Again several guards smiled and smirked behind their hands. Monastario was furious and grabbed his sword again and wrenched it out of the tree.

"Come on," he growled as he led his men off.

Diego could hear the other group move off also. Thankful, he offered up a prayer. Then remembering who it was he was trying to reach, he made his way out of the tree and on towards Padre Ramon's. The rest had helped him somewhat, but he was very, very tired. And so thirsty! He felt very hot, but he put it down to his exertions. He would just have to deal with it.

Moving from shadow to shadow was taking longer than he had hoped. He heard the church bells ring midnight. Now, the most dangerous part of the journey across the grounds of the university lay before him. A large expanse of open ground lay between him and the building he hoped (and prayed) Padre Ramon was in. The moon was a quarter full. There would be enough light for anyone who was looking to see him on such open ground. Diego had steeled himself for a mad dash when to his surprise, complete darkness fell. Looking up, he saw a single, large cloud covering the moon. Believing his patron saint was working overtime tonight, Diego ran as fast as he was able across to the trees on the other side. Hugging one, he did nothing but breath for a while.

When he was able, he began searching the face of the building for Padre Ramon's rooms. The dark was making it so difficult. Just then a little beam of moonlight illuminated the face of the building. Diego recognized the rooms he was searching for. They were off to his right about thirty yards away. In the distance, he could hear at least one group of guards coming his way. Then he could suddenly hear the other one. Looking back up, he could see that there were enough bushes and vines to get him to Padre Ramon's window. He covered the distance carefully. He couldn't chance being seen now; he would be shot immediately he was sure.

Looking up at the facade of the building bathed in moonlight, Diego said softly, "I don't suppose you would turn off the light once more, would you?" He was half in jest and half in earnest. As if on cue, the night grew black again. Once more the cloud had closed up around the moon. Diego smiled hugely and gave a salute to heaven. "Gracias, Señor," he said.

He then began to climb. Before he got very far, he got back down and took off the offending sword and said softly, "Not this time." He buried it in the leaves and mulch next to the building. Then he resumed his climb. His entire body ached. By the time he had reached the third story window that he sought, he was perspiring heavily and had reopened many of his wounds. He had also created a couple of new ones. His left hand got cut on a sharp stick he had not seen and a branch had scratched him just at the right temple and blood started running down. But still gritting his teeth, Diego managed to reach the casement window.

Just below, he heard Monastario interrogate his men to see what they had found. He did not like what he had heard. He sent them out again, leaving him standing alone with his hands on his hips. Had he bothered to look up, he might have seen the shadow clinging to the window. As it was, he soon stalked off to continue the search.

Diego breathed a sigh of relief. When he got home he would fill the church in Los Angeles with every candle that could be had. Gathering his last reserve, he fell as much as he climbed into the room. Sagging back against the wall, he could not move anymore.

Out of the darkness came that deep, sonorous voice that he loved so well. "If you came to rob me of my valuables, I'm afraid you are going to be disappointed. If you want something of value you will need to search elsewhere."

Diego replied, "The education you gave to me, Padre Ramon, is worth far more than gold to me."

Padre Ramon exclaimed, "Wait! I know that voice! Just a minute!"

Diego could hear the rather stout padre get up out of the bed and busy himself to light a candle. As he brought it around the bed, he cried, "By the Saints! You are badly hurt!" He brought the candle closer and peered into Diego's bearded, sooty face. "I know you!" he declared.

"You should," replied Diego. "I beat you often enough at chess." He smiled tiredly.

"Diego? Diego de la Vega, it is you? But . . . what? . . . how? . . ." he indicated Diego's condition.

"One moment, Padre. Please blow out the candle or close the window for there are those out there who seek me even now."

The padre looked at Diego a moment, then standing up and leaning over, reached out to pull the shutters closed. As he did so, he saw men moving about in the trees below. He shuttered the window just in time. One of the men had started to turn toward the building.

Down below, Monastario stared at the building. "What was that I saw?" he asked.

"I don't know, Capitán. I saw nothing," was the reply.

Frustrated, Monastario looked at the man and back at the building. Nothing could be seen there now. The moon had come back out and in the half-light nothing stirred. Where had that cloud come from anyway? There was not another one to be seen anywhere. Shrugging his shoulders, he moved off after his men.