"I do, your excellency! I echo every word they have spoken in your presence. Persecution must cease. Grant their requests, see that your officials do right hereafter, return to San Francisco de Asis, and I take my oath that there shall be no treason in this southland.
"I shall see to it myself. But oppose them, excellency, and I shall take sides against you, see you driven from office and ruined, and your foul parasites with you!"
"This terrible, willful southland!" the governor cried.
"Your answer!" Don Alejandro demanded.
"I can do nothing but agree," the governor said. "But there is one thing—"
"Well!"
"I spare the man's life if he surrenders, but he must stand trial for the murder of Captain Ramón!"
"Murder?" queried the leader of the caballeros. "It was a duel between gentlemen, excellency. Señor Zorro resented an insult on the part of the comandante to the señorita."
"Ha! But Ramón was a caballero—"