Chapter 8
Alejandro, now boiling with anger, shouted out his frustration. "Have you heard? Diego was riding Luna. Alcalde, this is the second time you have mistaken one of my finest mares for a stallion! There are more black horses in the territory than just Toronado. You are the one who can't even tell the difference between a mare and a stallion! Diego…, Zorro? You are a fool if you believe that possible!"
De Soto started to stutter. "But... but..."
Felipe knew what was expected of him. Return to the hacienda. Take the black mare for a ride and make sure she was found by one of the stable helps. And he needed to find Toronado.
"I think it is outrageous, you just start shooting at innocent people without thinking of the consequences. I will write the governor about this!"
Alejandro walked toward his son. "Come on, son. I'll take you to the doctor."
Zorro couldn't believe his luck. If de Soto fell for this, he would spontaneously be starting to believe in miracles.
"But…, but...," De Soto tried again. The young don was indeed the most unlikely person to be the real Zorro. Could it be he had arrested the wrong man? Diego had dressed up like Zorro? Others had.
Hadn't he caught the fox? This Zorro hadn't fought. He hadn't made a witty remark. The bullet had hit its target. All things de Soto had start to believe impossible when it came to capturing the real Zorro. Perhaps the don was right and he had to face the truth. It was the wrong one.
"Everyone can tell you that Diego cannot possibly be Zorro."
Don Alejandro ignored the lancers and began to loosen his son's wrists. Due to the blood loss, Diego immediately fainted into the muddy puddle he had been sitting in.
"I want my son taken to the doctor! Now! And if he dies, I swear it will be your last day."
More people started helping to tend Diego. The others returned to the tavern.
And de Soto was left, defeated, still in disbelief that he had briefly thought it was his lucky day.
.
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