An Ambush For Zorro - Whipping Vallejo

A quick end of this must be made, but Zorro had no wish to end it by sending the point of his blade into his adversary’s heart. He stood, then pressed the fighting, and as Vallejo retired before his onslaught Zorro’s blade darted in. There was a ringing of metal and Vallejo’s sword was torn from his hand to arch through the air, catching and reflecting the light of the moon, and crash against some rocks at the side of the highway.

Vallejo reeled aside. His hand went to his belt and he brought out his pistol. It was discharged, and the ball brushed against Zorro’s left sleeve. Vallejo hurled the pistol, but Zorro bent and allowed it to go over his shoulder. As he did so he got his sword back into its scabbard, and suddenly the whip was in his hand.

Vallejo’s wild cries for help were ringing down the wind. He hurled himself forward for a hand-to-hand clash now that Zorro was not holding a sword. But Zorro made no effort to draw a pistol and shoot him down.

The lash met Vallejo as he charged. It wrapped around his body, bit and drew blood. It jerked him off his feet and sent him on his hands
and knees in the mud. And then it fell upon him in a rain of
blows, cutting his garments, lashing his body.

“The whip for being a craven and trying to pistol me!” Zorro said. “The whip because you used it unmercifully on defenseless men! I could have run you through or shot you down, but the whip is best for a man such as you.”

He continued lashing as he talked. He beat José Vallejo down into the mud, broke his spirit, brought him to the stage of pitiful whimpering. Zorro stepped back.

“Get up!” he ordered. “Quickly, if you want to live! Get into your saddle!”

He jerked Vallejo to his feet. He tossed Vallejo’s blade and pistol aside. He drove him lurching toward his horse and forced him into the saddle. Still holding the whip ready, Zorro started mounting his own horse.

Sounds came to him from the highway near the cart camp. He could hear Sergeant Garcia shouting to his men. Then came the noise of horses pounding through the mud with what speed they could.

Zorro rode his black beside Vallejo’s mount. Vallejo was clinging to his saddle, bent forward.

“Ride! With speed!” Zorro ordered.

He urged his black into a lope, then a slow gallop, and kept Vallejo’s mount beside him. Sounds of Garcia and his troopers came nearer. But now Zorro was beyond the slippery hill, and got more speed out of his own mount and Vallejo’s.

Around a curve, they went on at still greater speed. And toward them Zorro saw coming the man on the riding mule, who had ridden to town to warn Vallejo. He pulled the mule to one side as the riders bore down upon him. Too late he realized they were Vallejo and a masked man.

Zorro lashed with his whip again. Vallejo’s horse got part of the blow and sprang forward with added speed. But Zorro sent the black after him, and reached out to grasp Vallejo’s reins. They came to the plaza, and some peons scattered out of their path. In front of the tavern, Zorro pulled both mounts to a stop. The tavern door opened, and a streak of light shot out to mingle with the bright moonlight.

Zorro toppled Vallejo from his saddle. As the soldier yelled for help, Zorro cut him with the whip again. Men rushed from the tavern to see the punishment.

Garcia and his troopers were almost to the plaza now. Zorro whipped out a pistol and sent one shot over their heads. As they scattered to right and left, he spurred the black and dashed across the corner of the plaza, turning toward the mouth of the highway leading to San Juan Capistrano.

Pistols exploded behind him and bullets flew, but none came dangerously near. He bent low and rode furiously. A glance behind showed him that Garcia and his troopers were coming on, except one man who had stopped beside Vallejo.


- An Ambush For Zorro