"There can be but one decision in such a case," said the governor loftily. "No matter how good a man's blood may be, or what his rank, he cannot be allowed to commit treason without suffering the consequences. I had thought that Don Carlos had learned his lesson, but it appears that he has not. Are any of your men in the _presidio_?"
"That courier of yours returned with my escort. Does he know the country well hereabouts?"
"Certainly, excellency. He has been stationed here for some little time."
"Then he can act as guide. Send half my escort at once to the _hacienda_ of Don Carlos Pulido. Have them arrest the don and fetch him to _carcel_, and incarcerate him there. That will be a blow to his high blood! I have had quite enough of these Pulidos."
"And the haughty _doña_, who sneered at me, and the proud _señorita_ who scorned the troopers?"
"Ha! It is a good thought! It will teach a lesson to all in this locality. Have them fetched to _carcel_ and incarcerated also!" the governor said.
Don Diego's carriage had just pulled up before his house when a squad of troopers went by it in a cloud of dust. He did not recognize any of them for men he had seen about the tavern.
"Ha! There are new soldiers on the trail of Señor Zorro?" he asked a man standing near.
"They are a part of the escort of the governor, _caballero_."
"He arrived but a short time ago, _caballero_, and has gone to the _presidio_."
"I suppose they must have fresh news of this highwayman to send them riding furiously through dust and sun like that. He appears to be an elusive rascal. By the saints! Had I been here when the governor arrived, no doubt he would have put up at my house. Now some other _caballero_ will have the honor of entertaining him. It is much to be regretted."
And then Don Diego went into the house, and the man who had heard him speak did not know whether to doubt the sincerity of that last remark.
Led by the courier, who knew the way, the squad of troopers galloped swiftly along the highroad, and presently turned up the trail toward Don Carlos's house. They went at this business as they would have gone about capturing a desperado. As they struck the driveway, they scattered to left and right, tearing up Doña Catalina's flower-beds and sending chickens squawking out of the way, and so surrounded the house in almost an instant of time.