The Mysterious Don Miguel - Thrown Off Horse

Then Zorro was bending from the saddle, clasping him and tearing the pistol away, to hurl it to the ground. He tossed Capitán Gonzales out of his saddle and to the ground also, gave a wild laugh, wheeled his horse, bent low, and raced down the canyon.

"After him! Shoot him down! Do not let him escape!" Capitán Gonzales was screeching, as he struggled to get back into the saddle again.

Madly, Zorro rode, the big black horse hurdling rocks and clumps of brush. Behind him, pistols barked, and bullets flew near him, but none struck home. He approached another and larger clearing, and saw trouble ahead.

Not all the force of troopers had been led deeply into the canyon by the capitán. Here were a few kept in reserve, to capture any trying to flee.

Señor Zorro saw four men before him, all mounted, and now they began riding forward, converging upon him. His pistol was empty, he had only his blade. He rode straight toward them, but pulled rein slightly and slackened speed.

"One side, señores!" he called.

But they came on at him, and behind him Capitán Gonzales and some of the others broke from the brush in pursuit. Señor Zorro was between two fires.

He dug in with his spurs again, and swerved to the left, and the troopers in front swerved in that direction also.

With a quick pressure of knees and touch of the rein, Zorro swung his horse abruptly back to the right.

He bent low and dashed at them, past them, a pistol exploding almost in his face as he rode. A blade flicked out at him and ripped the collar of his blouse. His horse staggered as another bumped against him, but kept his feet and raced on.

More pistols exploded behind him. One bullet whistled past his ear. There was a drum-fire of hoofbeats as the pursuit began. Capitán Gonzales was howling commands:

"Drop everything else and catch this rogue! He is worth all the others!"

Rage gave the capitán strength in that pursuit. He knew that his handsome face had been marked forever, that the fair ladies would turn from him in scorn, not that he bore a scar as a result of sword fighting, but because that scar was a mark this Señor Zorro gave to men he did not deem worthy of slaying.

Capitán Gonzales howled his orders, and the pursuit settled into a race, with Zorro's wild black horse leading and gaining slowly. But there were good horses in the troop, too, that of Capitan Gonzales especially, and the pursuit hung on.

Zorro was racing across rough land to get to the highway, where the going would be better. His horse was laboring in the soft ground.

And suddenly he stumbled and fell, and Señor Zorro went over his head to land in the dirt.

[...]

He sprang up instantly. His horse was struggling to his feet, and Zorro called softly to him, and hurried toward him. The frightened animal drew back at first, and Zorro lost precious time coaxing him near enough so the reins could be grasped. He got up into the saddle again.

The pursuit had gained during all this, and was too close for comfort now. Another pistol was fired, and the ball came so near that Zorro caught himself flinching. He judged that would be all of the shooting. Those behind could not reload while they rode so madly after him.

He bent low over his mount's neck again, and raked with the spurs, and the big black responded with a wild burst of speed. Señor Zorro had in mind what he had to do, and now it seemed difficult of accomplishment, unless he could gain on them more.


- The Mysterious Don Miguel, Chapters 12 and 13