Mohammed tied the steer's back feet together and then threw a rope over a high tree limb and lifted the animal off the ground. Tessa helped keep the steer from swinging as Mohammed slit the animal's throat. "In the Name of God, the Compassionate, and the Merciful," said Mohammed.

Blood poured out of the animal's throat and splattered on the ground and Tessa's and Mohammed's feet and pants. Within minutes, the animal was dead.

The sound of several horses caused the two to turn and stare at the leveled muskets of six soldiers. Captain Grisham and Colonel Montoya sat on their horses.

"My, my, my. Look what we have here Colonel. Two cattle rustlers. You two will swing. I am sure glad you brought your own rope. Guards. Tie them up and hang them," said Grisham as he and Montoya started to leave.

"Colonel Montoya, you will pay for this," yelled Tessa.

Montoya pulled back on his reins. "Captain, I know that voice."

Montoya turned around and rode over to the prisoners. He removed the sombrero and stared into Tessa's face.

"Senorita Alvarado, what are you doing acting like a rustler?" asked Montoya.

"I am baking a cake. What does it look like? I am helping slaughter a steer, which I gave to my friend. It is being prepared according to his customs."

"His customs?" asked Montoya. "My word, the man is a Moor. All the more reason to hang him."

"You had better hang a lot of people, Colonel. Many people know I am out here and why. All of my rancheros know and, if I am not mistaken, twenty of them are not more than five hundred yards away," said a defiant Tessa.

Montoya looked at Tessa. "That is the oldest trick in the book, Señorita. I call your bluff."

Grisham looked over his shoulder and then motioned to Montoya to look behind them. "I think she has called it, Colonel. Twenty men with muskets pointed at us."

Montoya glanced around and then faced the prisoners. "Release them. Señorita, in the future I would suggest that you slaughter your steers in the usual place, not from a tree. Someone might get the wrong idea," he said as he turned and rode away. Grisham and the soldiers followed.

"I have never seen Senorita Alvarado look so defiant," said Montoya as he walked into his office.

"You were going to hang her for slaughtering her steer on her own rancho. That kind of thing tends to get a person riled," smirked Grisham.

"Captain, you do have a point. I want you to check out her friend."

"Yes sir. By the way, how did you know the man was a Moor? I thought Moors were black."

"Not all, Captain, especially the ones born and raised on the Peninsula. I remember hearing of an altercation in Almeria a few years ago. He put up quite a fight."

"What happened to him sir?" asked Grisham.

"A stranger rescued him from a lynch mob. The two were quite deadly with their swords. They left six dead and twenty wounded."

"If he is the same man, Colonel, he won't have any friends to help him out. I take it that Moors are hated by Spaniards."

"Gitanos hate them even more. I understand there is a blood feud between them," replied Montoya.

On the other hand, he has made friends with Senorita Alvarado and her duena is a gypsy," said Grisham.

"Good point, Captain. I see you are learning. I want you to send a rider to Monterey and question the soldiers who were injured the other day. They claim that they were beaten up by a bandito. They may be holding something back," said Montoya.

"One man against ten soldiers?" asked Grisham.

"You forget, Captain, that the Queen of Swords is a woman and she takes on ten soldiers and bets them up."

"Good point, Colonel."

Muhammed cured the meat from the steer and made jerky, as fresh meat would not last on his journey. From the hide, he made soft pliable boots and a couple of knee-length moccasins, and several covers for the small water jars that would be on the packhorse. When he was finished, there was not much left of the steer and what was left was burned.

A week later, Muhammed loaded his horse and pack animal and tied a new cowhide coat to the saddle. He saw Tessa approach.

"Tessa, I cannot thank you enough for your hospitality and kindness," said Muhammed.

"De nada, amigo. Have a safe trip and Allah be with you."

"Gracias, Tessa. May the one God look over you and keep you," he replied as he mounted and rode away leading the packhorse.

Marta walked up beside Tessa. "I am going to miss him, Tessita."

"You did seem to get along with him rather well. I am surprised you weren't here to see him off," said Tessa with a wink.

"We said our goodbyes inside."

"Marta," said Tessa grinning.

"Tessa, I would never...." said Marta, aghast.

"Maybe you should," shot back Tessa.

Marta blushed and smacked Tessa on the arm. "Keep it up and you will have to cook your own dinner."

"Hmm, I wonder if Muhammed left any jerky," replied Tessa with a devilish grin.

Two days later an exhausted rider arrived in Santa Elena, dismounted and climbed the stairs wearily to Montoya's office.

"Colonel Montoya, Private Cruz reporting with a dispatch from Monterey," said the courier, handing the package to Montoya.

"What took you so long, Private? You have been gone almost a week."

I was shuffled around from one office to another and then had to wait two days to see the Viceroy."

"Were you sober?" asked Montoya suspiciously.

"Yes sir, however I did visit some cantinas by the wharf as Captain Grisham suggested. I took some civilian clothes and asked questions."

"What did you find out?"

"The man in question was on a ship of questionable ancestry but it sank. A Portuguese merchant ship found him clinging to a mast and rescued him. They dropped him off in Monterey. Several men in Monterey took exception to his being there and unfortunately accosted him."

"Unfortunately?" asked Montoya with raised eyebrows.

"They are dead or seriously wounded."

"I presume he was arrested and charged. Why is he running around Alta California?"

"No charges were brought, as it was ruled self defense, as he was one man fighting against nine."

"Did you find out why they fought?"

"Yes, Sir. It seems that the men took offense at him being there and claimed that he had drunk too much wine and he challenged them."

"Well, that is a lie. Moors don't drink alcoholic beverages made from grapes. Anything else to report?"

"After he left, new charges were leveled that he had stolen a fancy dagger from one of the survivors."

"Very well, you are dismissed. Good job, Corporal," said Montoya. "You may have found out more than the bureaucrats in Monterey."

"Sir," said Cruz as he saluted and turned to the door. I came in a Private and leave a Corporal. I wonder what it would take to make Sergeant? he thought.

"Grisham!" yelled Montoya.

Two hours later, a squad of soldiers led by Grisham, surrounded the Alvarado hacienda. They burst in the front and back doors with leveled muskets and herded Tessa and Marta outside as some other soldiers ransacked the hacienda."

Colonel Montoya rode up as the casa was being violated.

"Colonel Montoya, how dare you?" demanded Tessa as she shoved a musket-toting soldier out of the way and confronted the Montoya as he was dismounting.

"Senorita, you are harboring a fugitive from the law," replied Montoya.

Tessa spied a soldier coming out of the house with a candlestick in his hands.

"If I were hiding a fugitive, I doubt he would hide in a candlestick." She stopped speaking when she heard the sound of furniture crashing onto the floor. "What right do you have to steal from me and destroy my property? Who is this alleged fugitive?"

"Your Moorish friend," replied Grisham as he walked out of the house carrying some rare books.

Tessa whirled on Montoya. "Muhammed left here several days ago and I doubt that you will find him in a book of poetry. Colonel, you could have asked me before you ransacked my home," challenged Tessa.

"Captain Grisham, Senorita Alvarado has a point. I sent you to arrest one man, not destroy and steal from her," said Montoya as he escorted Tessa and Marta into the house.

Montoya was shocked at what he found. Furniture overturned, books scattered on the floor and a soldier rummaging around in drawers.

"Captain you will control your men and set everything right," said Montoya.

The sound of two men laughing down the hall led Montoya to Tessa's bedroom. One soldier was pulling out Tessa's underwear while another was holding a pair of pantaloons to his waist and dancing around. Tessa blushed as she saw the men hold her silk undergarments.

"Grisham!" yelled Montoya.

As Grisham entered the room, Montoya grabbed the Captain's neck.

"I suppose our Moor is hiding in the Senorita's undergarment drawer. Get them out of here. You and all of your men are on report," said Montoya, the anger showing in his face.

"Yes Sir," replied Grisham as he motioned to his men.

"Señorita, I profoundly apologize," said Montoya.

"Not acceptable, Colonel," replied Tessa. "I have been violated and I demand satisfaction."

Montoya jumped back as if struck by a rattlesnake. "Satisfaction?"

""Yes, satisfaction. Besides the furniture your men have destroyed or damaged, all of my clothing will need to be replaced and you will pay for it."

"Señorita, your clothing has not been destroyed," replied Montoya.

"Colonel, how could I wear that clothing, knowing that your men had their grubby paws on them? I would feel dirty," she said shivering. "You know that when a lady's private clothing has been violated, it is as if they had been raped," she continued, as her face became angry.

"Is this the same Senorita who faints as at the drop of a hat? What has changed you?" asked Montoya.

"Let's see. In the last week, you have tried to hang me and now your soldiers have invaded my home. If I were a man you would never have dared to do such a thing. In the future, I will shoot any soldiers who come onto my property without my permission." She turned to Marta.

"Marta, make a list of everything that has been destroyed, damaged or violated. Add two pistols to that list."

"Pistols? I see no pistols," said Montoya.

"How do you expect me to shoot your soldiers without pistols?" responded Tessa. "Now, get out. The man you are looking for left for Los Angeles. I will send a letter to the Viceroy, providing your soldiers didn't steal the pen," she said as she escorted Montoya to the door.

Montoya started to walk out when he heard a moan. He turned to see Tessa beginning to faint and automatically caught her.

"She challenges me and then faints?" asked Montoya of Marta.

"Colonel, when a delicate person like Tessa become enraged and then starts to calm down and the anger leaves, they return to normal. I have never seen her so angry," said Marta as Tessa started to revive.

"Yes, I see. I have heard of things like that happening. I apologize for this incident. Send me a bill for damages and it will be paid immediately," said Montoya as Tessa awoke and regained her composure.

"Colonel, there is one more thing," said Tessa.

"Yes?"

"I want my candlestick back."

Montoya stomped outside to find a soldier placing the candlestick in a saddlebag.

"Unless you want that candlestick inserted in a most uncomfortable place, I suggest you return it. Now!" said a furious Montoya.

The soldier ran over to Tessa and, with sheepish grin, handed it to her. Tessa took the object, looked the soldier over, and promptly hit him in the groin with it.

"Ladrón," she hissed at the soldier who was now bent over and holding his privates.

Several hours later, Montoya paced around his desk while a nervous Grisham stood by the door.

"You aren't going to pay her, are you?" asked Grisham.

"Yes, Captain, I am. I will pay her one reale out of my own pocket," replied Montoya.

"That will teach her," grinned Grisham.

"The rest of the bill will come out of the salaries of you and your men."

The grin on Grisham's face dissolved. "Why me?"

"You were in charge of the detail to arrest one man. You were not ordered to ransack and destroy Señorita Alvarado's hacienda or paw through her clothing. A Gentleman does not violate a lady's personal effects and steal on the pretext of arresting someone. I thought you got everything of value the first time."

"But, why me? My men were the ones who did it."

"You were responsible for the actions of your men. Hell, that one soldier stole a candlestick and walked right past her. You took books out of her house and she caught you. Do you know what could happen when the Dons hear about this?"

"Yeah, they will shake in their boots," laughed Grisham.

"I hope you are still grinning when they shoot you out of the saddle. Every Don and his rancheros is likely to shoot any soldier found on his lands. Señorita Alvarado will probably shoot you on sight," replied Montoya.

"I can handle Señorita Alvarado," said Grisham smugly.

"This is from the man who cannot capture the Queen of Swords with a squad of men," replied Montoya exasperated.

"That's different," replied Grisham.

"Captain, have you ever heard of a woman scorned? I saw a side of Señorita Alvarado that I have seen only once from one other person. There was a fire in her eyes that would cause you to self-combust. The other woman could stop a herd of stampeding horses with a look when she was extremely angry."

"Who was she?"

"My Aunt Bea," replied Montoya.

Continue to Part Three

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