Macho Caballo Page

MACHO CABALLO

PART I: CHAPTER SIETE

STROLLING THROUGH THE MARKET


HOT PURSUIT:

In the late morning sunlight, steps slowed as shoppers and
merchants alike began to feel the growing warmth.  They were
thinking of quiet lunches with cool drinks in the shade, and
murmured conversations.  There were people strolling along
to their luncheons and Machita had to dodge around them or
throw out her hands to ward them off as she raced through
the streets.  Close behind, her pursuers were less genteel -
above her own harsh breathing she could hear the crashes and
cursing as the two men barreled through the crowd.

The stolen pantalones were loose.  They were too big and
they flapped noisily as Machita ran.  Keeping to the rear of
the market buildings, avoiding piles of dung, seeking
another glimpse of Mamá before she was led away, Machita
ran.  The men behind were excellent sprinters, and they were
gaining.

"I have had enough of *this*!" she said, grabbing a club and
waiting, panting, for the foremost of her two pursuers to
barrel around the corner.

As she waited near a doorway, a hand reached out and grabbed
her by the collar, nearly strangling her as she tried to
escape.

"How dare you go about in the middle of town in those
unfeminine clothes?"  A wizened old woman kept an iron grip
on her collar and brought a fly-whisk across her head.  The
frail weapon did not hurt, but Machita flailed helplessly in
her hold.

"Let me go!" she cried, "I have to get away!"

"Not until you promise to go straight home and put on some
suitable clothing!" ordered the old woman, "Wearing men's
pants like this is disgraceful!"

"I'll do it!  I'll do it!" promised Machita, and the old
woman let her go.  She stumbled and came face to face with
the younger of the two men.  He reached for her, and she
swung the club hitting him in the face.  As he fell back
holding his face she turned and ran.

Machita hurried on, now wary of doorways.

Rounding a corner, she caught a low-reaching rafter beam and
used it to swing up onto the roof of a porch.  While the
pursuit pounded past and down the alley, she lay flat on the
sun-baked tile and gasped for air.

Too soon it was time to stir, to find where they were taking
Mamá.  Still breathing heavily, Machita rose and surveyed
the alleyway for pursuers before swinging down and heading
back toward the marketplace.


Across the square was an enclosed wagon, with a soldier
guarding it.  She was walking toward it when an exclamation
from behind warned of a renewed chase.  Two different men,
young but intent, burst forth with an angry shout.  Machita
again started toward the wagon, but the guard had been
alerted and readied his pike, and it was time for her to
take flight once more.

The street was sunbaked clay, worn smooth by constant foot
traffic, and they raised hardly any dust as they sped over
it.   Someone moved in the shadows and Machita slid to a
stop, almost falling down; they were waiting at the end of
the way, cutting off escape.  A fence to one side offered a
convenient handhold, so she went up and over it, avoiding
the shards of glass.  It was not long before the chase
resumed, however.

Once more, Machita swung up onto a roof, but this time
someone saw and raised the alarm.  Loose red tiles sliding
underfoot made her footing treacherous as she raced up to
the peak of the roof and down the other side.  Here there
was an overhang with a wagon passing beneath.  It was barely
close enough.  She jumped and landed heavily on the top
crates and the drover turned to see who had hitched a ride,
then resumed his drowsy duty at the reins.

It was a freight wagon, drawn by two heavy mules.  Thanking
the saints for this providence, Machita collapsed on the hot
canvas.  It was going toward the mines.  There would be time
to rest until the wagon was well out of town.  The others
could not catch up unless they had horses.

Unfortunately, these cheerful thoughts reckoned without the
pair who had been giving chase over the rooftops.  One
appeared at the eave almost overhead and looked down at the
figure sprawled on the canvas covered crates atop the wagon.

The pursuer waved to the others and hollered, "Aquí! I
have found her!  Here she is!"  They set out across the
dusty field to cut off the wagon.

Machita was too out of breath to invent any new curse words,
but she tried.

She abandoned the wagon as soon as it rolled behind a sandy
rise, out of sight of the men pursuing her.  Better a dash
out on the sunbaked flat than to remain on the wagon and
certain capture.  She tied the loose ends of her outsized
shirt to keep them from flapping and dug her heels in for
more speed through the sandy creek bottom.

`Los hombres incultos' would be after her soon enough.

When her lungs burned with exhaustion, she slowed and looked
back.  They were there.  Just now several men were at the
stone road where she had jumped from the wagon, but they had
found her tracks and were after her again.

But in looking back, she failed to see the trail ahead and
ran into a lowhanging limb.  She lost precious seconds
climbing out of the streambed.

They were waiting for her at the dry river bed, cutting off
any escape, surrounding her.  Machita determined that she
would not surrender without a fight.  She grabbed a crooked
tree branch for use as a club and swung it expertly, taking
out a couple of the men before they pinned her arms and
knocked her down.

Her face burning from the blow, Machita glared defiantly at
her assailant.  He drew back his fist, but an older man held
him back.  "Stop!  She must be unhurt!" he exclaimed, "She
is worth nothing to us if she is injured!"

"She nearly broke my jaw!" snarled the younger man, "She is
going to pay for doing that!"

"He will cut our hearts out if one of us breaks even one of
her fingernails," said the older man, "I would rather face a
hungry tigre than that.  Already you have bruised her
face!"

The deep sand muffled the sound of hooves until the horseman
was upon them, barreling into the midst of the men and
knocking several to the side.  Dust billowed up about the
cowboy as he cut between them and their quarry, stopped his
horse and backed it into their path.

Sandy surveyed the toughs and fixed them with a scowl.
"Last time I seen coyotes take down an antelope, it only
took two coyotes and they gave it a running start," he
said.

The younger tough cursed at him.  The leader stepped back
from them while the younger man grasped the handle of a
machete in his belt.

"Go right ahead," Sandy said with a wicked grin, "You
pull that pigsticker.  See what it gets you."  He rested
his left hand on the worn butt of his pistol, and glanced
over at Machita.

There were four miners and only one cowboy, but by the time
the miners decided the odds were in their favor, three more
riders came galloping up through the dust.

"Dang it, Sandy!" exclaimed Calpern, "How am I going to
keep an eye on you with you bustin' out all alone?  I bring
you back all cut up and your Ma would skin me alive!"

"Saw this little parade goin' on out here and thought I'd
take a look," said Sandy, "Seemed to me this party was a
little one-sided."

"Ah, Señores," Francisco addressed the miners, "I believe
that your camp is the other way, no?  It would be a shame to
tell Don Pedro that someone wandered onto his property and
was accidentally shot."  The clack of the hammer of his
scatter-gun being brought to full cock lent menace to his
words.

The toughs muttered among themselves and agreed that they
could leave peaceably.

"Hola, muchacha!", said Francisco, "How did you come by
such bad company?"

"They were chasing me.  I have to talk to Don Pedro," cried
Machita, "It is very important.  My mother has been
arrested!"  She tried to explain the urgency of her
situation.

"You're going to have to give me a hand with this,
compadre," said Calpern, "She's jabbering so fast I can't
make head nor tail of what she's sayin'."

"She says the soldiers have taken her mother, and she must
get word to Don Pedro," said Pablo.

"Well, I got that much.  She seems to expect us to go
galloping off after her Ma.  Don't know what we could do,
just the four of us.  I guess we could offer her a ride back
into town."

"What can I do to convince you?" said the girl when she saw
them discussing the situation instead of acting.  She pouted
for a moment and then said, "Agua, por favor!"

"Water?", repeated Calpern.

"Got a canteen right here," said Sandy.

Sandy handed her the canteen.  He watched her pour the water
all over herself, then stared in shock.

Calpern's horse backed away from the boy who suddenly
appeared, though it was not clear whether it was the change
that had startled the horse or the old cowboy sawing on the
reins in surprise.

"Well, I'll be a broke-dick mule!" Calpern exclaimed, "I
ain't never seen anything like that!".

Francisco removed his sombrero and slapped himself in the
face.  "I think maybe I have too much pulque last night," he
announced.

"Hey, Ramón, Machito!" said Pablo, "How'd you do that, man?"

"I am very sorry for this," said Ramón, "But I must get to
the rancho quickly!"

"What in the blue blazes did you *do* just now?" demanded
Calpern, who then added, "Pues, Qué cosa es?"

"I have been cursed by the spirit of the spring," Ramón
explained briefly, "It makes me change suddenly.  Please
forgive me for startling you."





"Startled?  You scared me out of ten years growth!" declared
Calpern.  He pointed toward a white-faced Sandy, "But that
is nothing.  I'm afraid you have just about broken that
young boy's heart!"

Ramón urgently repeated his tale about how the soldiers had
taken Mamá off in a covered van, and the cowboys hurried
back to the rancho.  Pablo offered to double up with Ramón,
since Sandy did not want to get near him.

"I don't know what this critter is!" he declared.  "First
it's a seenoreeta then it's this guy.  I ain't lettin' it
near me!"

"Now, we will begin the language lesson," said Francisco,
riding up between Pablo and Sandy.

"Ain't in the mood," said Sandy.

"Don Pedro has said that you shall learn, and whatever Don
Pedro wants, he must have," insisted the vaquero, "This is
the first word you will learn."  He pointed toward Ramón,
riding behind Pablo.

"Hombre," he said.

"I don't care what you call it!  I done told you I ain't
havin' nothing to do with it!"

Francisco urged his horse close beside the young cowboy.
"Myself, I do not care if you never speak our language,"
he said, so close the young Yanquis could smell the chilies
from his last meal, "But you will not hurt my friend this
way.  He has had something bad happen to him, and he does
the best he can about it.  You will speak to him with
respect or I will teach you something besides language.  I
do not think you would like what I will teach you."

"How am I hurtin' *him*?  He snuck around, and pretended to
be a... a *girl*!"

 

"What do you mean, Yanqui, that you think you had feelings
for this girl?"


Sandy's face turned almost purple.  "I ain't sayin'
nothin'!" he yelped, dug in his heels, and his horse leaped
ahead.

They rode in silence.  After a while, Pablo explained what
had transpired.

"Gracias," Ramón said to Francisco.  He had not understood
all of what was said, but he knew hatred and fear when he
saw it.  Francisco motioned him to say no more, and wait.

Eventually, Sandy rejoined them.  As they came to the
markers indicating the main portion of the rancho, Francisco
spoke.

"Is he un hombre?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Say it. He is an hombre.  At least for now."

"Okay.  Hombre.  Right now, anyhow."

"Bueno!  Soon, we will have you speaking as though you were
born here!"

Sandy edged closer to Pablo's horse.

"Sorry," he said, downcast eyes studying the brush
alongside the trail.

"You have said nothing I have not told myself," Ramón said,
but some of the ache began to ease, and it did not hurt so
much to swallow.

"We must get you your own horse," declared Pablo, "You are
no longer the little kid who does not weigh so much!"



OF DREAMS:

     She had been asleep on a blanket.  Close by, there was
     a turquoise pendant hanging from a peg, and it swayed
     occasionally in the breeze.  Her dreams were of
     turquoise water, deep blue-green water at the bottom of
     a pit.  She was being drawn into the water. She could
     not cry out because the fear had paralyzed her.  There
     was something beneath the water, and it waited for her.
     When she awakened, she ran out into the sun and hid
     from the dream.



AND HARD REALITY:

It was a council of war.  Don Pedro was elected the leader
by consent, Calpern was the chief advisor, and Marié was the
caterer.  She lugged the coffee pot out to the porch where
everyone had drawn their chairs into a circle, and she
handed out the steaming mugs of brew.  Francisco, Pablo,
Ramón, and several more vaqueros were gathered about.
Calpern, Sandy, Lonesome, and the rest of the cowboys:
Thomas, Frank, and Jasper, had also thrown in their support.

"Didn't like that pendejo the first time I saw him," said
Calpern, "And the more I know of him, the less I like
him."

"Unfortunately, as you say, he `holds all of the cards',"
said Don Pedro, "While I am a landowner and a respected
member of the community, I am also a Spaniard and on very
shaky ground here.  I must move carefully.  During the
revolution, I had troops garrisoned here in this house - to
`protect' me, of course.  Some Spaniards in other valleys
were not so lucky."

"Ain't the Alcalde Spanish?" asked Lonesome.

"Ahh.  He is Creole.  There is a difference.  When we
removed the Spanish aristocracy from our government, we
inserted our own.  These are people of Spanish descent who
were born here in the new world.  Some of them are indeed
noble with good hearts and the best interests of their
people foremost in their minds."

"Hmmm.  I gather this Sinestro ain't one of them."

"I am afraid not.  But he has managed to worm his way into
our society and gain considerable authority.  Before I could
move against him I would have to have absolute proof of
wrongdoing, and even then I would be suspected of working
for Spain.  No, in order to help Señora Caballo, we must be
circumspect."

"Circumspect?  If that means `sneaky', then I'm all for
it," Lonesome leaned back and sipped from his mug.

"I still have a few friends in society," said Don Pedro,
"Moreso here than in La Capitol.  Perhaps we can get them
to pass us some information, if not actually help in the
search.  I suspect that Señora Caballo will be held as
hostage, to get me to agree to something.  However, we
cannot afford to wait until Sinestro decides to tell me what
he wants."

"Ramón," he added, "Why would the Alcalde want your mother?"

"Lucita," answered Ramón.

"Why in... What would he want with a little kid?" Calpern
asked.

"For what reason?" asked Don Pedro of Ramón.

"For the gold.  The Alcalde believes her father knows where
there is a lot of gold.  Mamá says he is looking for the
Aztec hoard."

Suddenly Ramón became aware that all eyes were on him.  He
stopped and looked around.

"What!?" he asked.

"That's just a legend, ain't it?" breathed Lonesome.

"What is a legend?" asked Sandy.

"Will someone teach these two to talk?" demanded Don Pedro.

"We have already begun," smiled Francisco, and Sandy
looked away.

"When the Spanish defeated Montezuma, the Aztecs had much
treasure.  Officially, most of the gold and silver was
captured and transported to Spain.  Legends persist,
however, that some of the Aztecs secretly carried off a
large fortune of gold and silver, back to their homeland,
Aztlan.  There were supposed to be disks of gold as large as
a wagon wheel, and as thick.  Many men have given their
lives and fortunes searching for this fable," said Don
Pedro.

"Where's Aztlan?" asked Lonesome.

"North and West of La Capitol."

"Hell, *we're* Northwest of Mexico City," said Lonesome.

"No one knows where their homeland was," Don Pedro told
him, "And I doubt you could find what thousands of others
have sought before you."

"I reckon this Alcalde fellow thinks he has someone to tell
him where to look."

"But why does he want a kid?" asked Calpern, "Seems like
the kid wouldn't know."

He thought it a good question, so Don Pedro passed it on to
Ramón, "Why would the Alcalde want Lucita?"

"After he took Arturo prisoner, he came back and got
Elizabeta, his wife.  Lucita got free somehow and Mamá took
her in.  The Alcalde has been looking for her since then.
Mamá thinks he wants to use her to force Arturo to talk."

"He's gonna hold the kid until the father tells where the
gold is, heh?" said Lonesome, for Sandy's benefit.

"But the Señora hid the child," agreed Don Pedro, "And
now he holds Señora Caballo.  He will demand Lucita, in
exchange for her."  Again he changed tongues to ask Ramón,
"Where is Lucita?"

"At the Azuma village," said Ramón.  A singular absence had
occurred to him.  "Where is Papá?"

"Also at the village," said Don Pedro.  "He does not know
about your Mamá?"

"No," said Ramón, "I must find him and tell him!"

"I will go with you," said Francisco, "And so will my other
pupil.  There will be time for much talk."

Sandy was still protesting when they left the portico and
headed for the stables.

They decided to swing around and pick up Estrellita's horse
on their way to the village.  Ramón felt guilty about taking
the bay, and the thought of having an extra mount in case
trouble arose was excuse enough to spend the extra time
required.

Wolfwalker met them at the outermost lodge.  "Hola, Señor
Francisco!" he said, "I see you have brought some children
along!"

"Hola!" Francisco smiled, "I am the schoolteacher.  I must
apologize for not stopping to talk, but we must speak with
the horse-trader."

"He is coming," said Wolfwalker, sensing something amiss.

"Good.  I will resume the education of my pupils, then."
Francisco began pointing out items in the village and naming
them, first in one language and then the other.  It was much
like being in the early mission school, and Ramón
resentfully  watched Wolfwalker's superior smirk as the two
students repeated the words until Francisco was satisfied
that they had learned each one.

It was with some relief that Ramón saw his father, and he
could stop the lessons.  He told the elder Caballo of Mamá's
capture, and his trouble with the miners.  When he mentioned
the man in the robe, Papá looked worried, but he was not
surprised about Mamá.

"It is as we have feared," he said, "The Alcalde has learned
of things which he should not know."

"What can we do, Papá?"

"We will get her back."  Papá spoke mildly, but there was an
undercurrent of anger beneath the stillness in his voice.
"But we must be careful."

"That is what Don Pedro said."

"Did you tell him of the priest?"

"What priest?  Oh, the man in the robe?  No."

"Good.  Don't.  I must go speak to your Grandfather."  Ramón
knew that when Papá called GranPapá `your Grandfather', he
was very upset.

After conferring with Red Cloud about Lucita, Ramón and the
others returned to the hacienda.


Don Pedro had heard, through his grapevine, that Mamá was
being held at a hacienda at one of the ranchos in the
valley.  Unfortunately, it was not clear where on the rancho
she was imprisoned.

"Someone must go to the hacienda and look for her," said Don
Pedro.  "This will not be easy."

"It will be as simple as attending a dance," said the Doña,
"Don Algrupa is presenting his daughter's quinceñero
celebration this week.  We shall attend and make discreet
inquiries about unusual guests."

"Again, you astound me," he told her, "But you remember that
I am not a social creature.  I do not make a good dance
partner."

"No, but you need not be the one to go.  You have a
granddaughter who could do it for you."

"Estrellita?  My little star angel would go through fire for
me, I know, but I am not so sure she would go to a social
function which required her to wear a dress."

"If she is properly motivated, she will do it.  We will tell
her of the injustice done to Ramón's mother."

"And if that is not enough?"

"Then Ramón must convince her.  I have asked them both here,
for you to council."

"Is this wise, mi corazón?  Are you considering telling
her everything?"

"Only with his approval.  Do you agree?"

"With reservations.  Let me talk to Ramón, first."

Ramón fidgeted uneasily.  This was the first time he had
been ushered into Don Pedro's presence as a guest, always he
had been either a worker or accepted as a `member of the
family'.  But now the Don seemed very concerned about
something.

"We have an idea where they are holding your mother," Don
Pedro began, "Wait!  Don't go running off just yet.  We have
also got a problem in finding *exactly* where she is.  We
will have to ask Estrellita to help."

"What is the problem with that?"

"Well, she must go to the rancho, and ask questions.  This
will place her in danger, should anyone find out why she is
doing this."

"Oh," Ramón fidgeted, "What can we do?"

"There is no question in my mind that she must go, in order
for others to find where your mother is being held.  But, I
don't want her to go alone."

"But who can... Oh, no!"  Ramón sputtered, "You cannot
expect me to go with her..."

"Yes, you must.  The Doña will chaperon."

"But they are looking for me!"

"No, they are not.  Do you see what I mean?"

Ramón gulped, "But that means Estrellita must know about my
curse!"

"I am afraid so."

"I cannot tell her!"

"Let us make the preparations for that," Don Pedro called in
his granddaughter.  Estrellita looked doubtfully at Ramón
and the old man, as the Doña approached quietly.

"In the time that you have been gone to La Capitol, things
have changed," said the Doña.  "Most of the changes have
been in yourself. You are no longer a child, and you must
learn to act as an adult. To begin with, you must not go
riding alone with Ramón, any more.  You should have learned
this much from your quinceñero"

"But Abuelita, I've always gone riding with him.  He's no
different, why should I stop?"

"It is not seemly to appear in public with a young man when
there is no chaperon."

"All the other girls go riding with their boy friends!"

"And in the back, always within sight, is the dueña,"
sniffed the Doña.  "I find it hard enough to hold my head up
in polite company without you scandalizing the valley with
your indiscretions.  Hear me out!  You have been a child,
and as a child you could play with whomever you choose.  I
think it should be painfully obvious to you that you are now
a woman.  As a woman, you must behave with decorum, and that
means you do not go out without a chaperon."

"I always behave!" sputtered Estrellita, "I never do
anything that would shame you!"

"Always?" the Doña faced her squarely, "Does that include
the other night when Ramón helped bring back the horses?"

Estrellita gasped.  "How did you know... I didn't *do*
anything!"

"It wasn't for lack of trying.  I know everything that goes
on in this house.  I knew where you were.  I knew when Ramón
came in, and as soon as he appeared, I sent him to another
room, for his protection as well as your own.  You are a
true daughter to the de Muerte family, passionate and proud.
As such, I delight in your exploration of this wonderful,
awful world.  But I must not allow you to harm yourself, so
this is the reason for this rule.  You are not to go out
with any man without a chaperon."

"This is prison!" Estrellita cried.

"If you wish.  There are some compensations, however.  Soon
you will have to make monumental decisions, choices which
will affect your entire life.  God willing, I will be here
to help." Doña de Muerte softened her frown.  "And there is
another matter.  What did you do on your quinceñero?"

The rancherita hesitated, "I haven't had one," she admitted.

The Doña sighed, "I thought as much.  Your mother spends
entirely too much time playing the politician's wife.  I am
grateful for the good she has done, but I fear she has
neglected your social upbringing.  Well, I'll have to sit
you down and have a good talk with you to make up."

"Part of it was my fault," said Estrellita, "I guess I don't
try to make it any easier when she includes me in the
invitations."

"Nevertheless, we must make up for lost time.  Already,
there is some gossip going about that you are behaving
improperly.  You will have to be seen doing respectable
things."

"Oh, right.  Respectable as in boring?"

"Perhaps.  We have received an invitation to a party to be
given for Maria Alita Constanza Algrupa Sinestro.  You
should attend."

"I don't like those things.  The dresses are so
restrictive."

"I am aware of this.  It is important that you attend this
one, for that will allow me to accompany you as chaperon.  I
expect to look about the estate while you comport yourself
with dignity."

"I really *hate* those things.  And I don't like Alita."

The Doña cleared her throat, "We have reason to believe that
Ramón's mother may be held at this hacienda.  At any rate,
we know that there are soldiers who are guarding someone
somewhere in the building.  Estrellita, dear, it is hard for
me to ask this..."

"Ask what?  Can I help?  If this is why I must go, then I am
willing.  Darn the dresses, anyway."

Again the Doña hesitated.  "You should not go alone. Suppose
I had a sobrina, a niece who came up from the coast," she said,
"and she happened to look more like a Mexican than a
Spaniard..."

"Who are you talking about?  I don't have a cousin from the
coast!"

"I am thinking that it might be dangerous," said Ramón,
"Wouldn't it be better if your 'niece' went alone?"

"What!?" cried Estrellita, "Ramón, I can't believe I heard
you *say* that!"

"Don't you agree, Señora?  There would be no need to
endanger Estrellita for this.  I don't want her to be hurt
for my sake."

"Of all the ..." sputtered Estrellita, "Are you gone poxy or
something?  I'm going! If this cousin wants to come along,
it is all right, but she is *not* going in my place!"

"Unfortunately, it is out of my hands," the Doña spread her
hands to demonstrate, "The invitation was for Estrellita.  I
can take someone else, but *she* must go."

"Then I am going, also," said Ramón.

Estrellita pretended to gag.  "I can't believe this!  You
want to play like my cousin?  You would look stupid!  A boy
can't dress up like a girl and get away with it!"

"Bet I could do a better job than you could dressing up as a
boy," said Ramón.

"That'll be the day!  Wanta swap clothes?  Right here!"

"There'll be none of that!" snapped the Doña.  "I know you
are playing, but this is a serious matter.  You will *not*
embarrass me!  It was bad enough when you lurked naked in
his bed, but I will not have you talk of taking your clothes
off in here, even in jest."

"Abuela!" Estrellita cried, almost in tears, "How could
you tell him this?  How could you?"

"He knows, granddaughter," said the Doña, "...and you, young
man," she continued, "You have been seen spying on girls
bathing in the river.  Didn't you realize that someone there
would recognize you?"

Ramón bent his head with an apologetic grimace while
Estrellita elbowed him.  "When did you do *that*?" she
asked.

"Just before I figured out what made me change," said Ramón.
He upended the teapot over his head, and waited for the
shriek.  It never came.

Estrellita stared for a long moment.  She touched Machita's
face and hair, then gripped her shoulders.  "This is some
kind of a trick," she muttered.

"It is not a trick," said Machita, and she explained about
the initiation at the hot springs.  Then she splashed her
face with cold water.

Watching her change back to Ramón released Estrellita from
her bewitchment.  "I'm gonna *kill* you!" she cried, then
said, "Do it again!" until Ramón finally refused.  Then she
laughed until her sides hurt.

"I was ready to kill that girl!" she cried, "I was ready to
tear her limb from limb, and all the time it was you!"

Ramón was miffed.  "It is not *that* funny," he said.

"It is to me," Estrellita smothered a giggle, "I have to
either laugh or beat the snot out of you!"

Doña Mercedes sighed.  "The child has no culture," she said,
"When will you realize that having manners is necessary?"

"When going to parties is as much fun as riding!  Hobnobbing
is so boring!"

"You must attend this party the ranchero will give, so you
can help us find the Señora.  That is why it is important to
be able to gossip and talk small talk - to gather
information."

"Abuelita, those girls won't talk to me.  They look down
on me because I don't socialize!"

"And whose fault is that?  You have made my point."

"Also, they call me an Indian-lover.  Because I like Ramón."

"Well, that can hardly be helped.  They *will* talk to you,
or about you, if you are at the fiesta.  And while you
`socialize', I can ask questions.  You will comport yourself
well, and not bring embarrassment upon the de Muerte family
by acting like giddy children."

"Ooooh, I love it!" squealed Estrellita, "I'll be able to
take my boyfriend in under their noses and they won't even
know it!"

"That is *not* what I meant by 'comport'," said the Doña,
with a chill in her voice.

"I'm not so sure about this 'boyfriend' thing," said Ramón,
"After all, you like Sandy, too."

Estrellita batted her eyelashes at him.  "Jealous?" she
cooed.




CHAPTER SIETE:  END

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Glossary:
   (I said I wouldn't need a glossary... Oops.)

abuela : grandmother.
agua : water.
aquí : here.
Los hombres incultos : uncivilized men.
mi corazón : my heart, my love.
quinceñero : fifteenth birthday celebration/coming out party.
             Very important social event for young girls.
             Also a time when the young woman is formally
             acquainted with the 'facts (and rules) of life'.

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