Further Adventures - Crack Stab

Sanchez shivered and raised a trembling hand to his flaming forehead. The blood had streamed down his cheeks from the wound Zorro had put there; and Zorro, on his way to his hiding place, had paused for an instant to watch this comedy. A few minutes later he was safe among his boxes and bales in the storeroom.

He crept across to the tiny crack through which he had whispered to the señorita, but he could not see her where she was sitting on the bunk – could see only straight-ahead.

"Señorita!" he whispered.

"Zorro!"

"Safe again, señorita. The dawn is coming. Have you rested?"

"I could not sleep," she replied. *There were thoughts of you, and of other things."

"But now I guard," he whispered. "Sleep, and I will watch."

She started to make reply, but instead she hissed a warning. Heavy steps had sounded outside the cabin door. She heard the bar being removed. And then the door was opened and one of the pirates stood in it, grinning, a torch in his hand.

[...]

Now she crouched against the wall, her heart pounding at her ribs, her breath coming in little gasps. Her eyes were dilated with terror.

"Out!" she said, though her fear reduced her screech to a mere whisper. "Your master shall know of this!"

That sobered him for a moment, but the picture of her pretty self was before him, tantalizing him, tormenting him. He reached out a hand to clutch her. She could retreat no further. She put up her tiny hands as though to beat him back.

"What is a kiss?" he asked, laughing. "I would not harm you – only a kiss!"

"I would rather die!" she gasped.

"For that I shall take two – a dozen! Proud w-nch, are you? Ha!" He grasped her wrist and started pulling her toward him. She lurched backward, fought with what strength she could, felt that she was about to swoon, and realized that she must not. He followed her, reached out the other hand to grasp her better.

And like the darting of a snake's tongue came the sword of Zorro through the crack in the wall. In and out it darted with the swiftness of thought. The señorita, reeling back against the wall, felt herself released, saw the pirate sag before her, to his knees, topple forward, and collapse at her feet.

Terror-stricken, she looked down at him, her eyes bulging wide. Blood flowed from his breast and formed a pool on the floor of the cabin. A hiss from the other side of the partition brought her to her senses. She realized, then, that Zorro's blade had done this thing to save her an indignity.

"Señorita!"

"Si?" she questioned.

"Take the fellow's dagger from his girdle! Dip it in the blood on the floor! Have courage and act quickly! 'Twill appear as though you did it when he offered you insult!"

She realized what he meant, and was quick to obey. She needed the blood of the Pulidos to aid her now. Stooping, she reached out a hand and grasped the hilt of the dagger in the dead man's belt. She drew it out, shuddered, turned her head away for a moment, faint at the sight of the blood.


- The Further Adventures of Zorro, Chapter 10