El Bandido & Adios El Cuchillo

Cuchillo wants to rob first the silver service, then the payroll, then the innkeeper, and finally the money for the hides. He is going to be in Los Angeles for some time while he waits for things to "cool off" in Mexico, and he intends to be there in relative comfort. Quickly he realizes that befriending Sgt. Garcia will provide him with needed information. El Gordito talks -- a lot. Cuchillo also realizes that when he befriends Diego de la Vega, he makes himself known to a prominent citizen. Finally, he finds a lady love, a nice diversion with a pretty face who will also bring food from the kitchen when Cuchillo has no money to pay for it. He's a very clever fellow, and almost as astute at knowing and understanding people as Diego is.

After his very first encounter with Zorro, Cuchillo realizes that this is a dangerous foe to whom he must pay attention. He learns that he cannot hastily go forward with quickly made plans to rob this or that place. No, instead he needs elaborate plans that establish an alibi or provide shelter in the last place Garcia would look for banditos -- the de la Vega hacienda. It only takes a few encounters with Zorro before Cuchillo begins to add the pieces together that will solve the mystery of Zorro's true identity.

He watches Diego with great interest and asks him pointed questions about Zorro. Diego, who is accustomed to being able to distract others who have asked him about Zorro, is unable to completely throw Cuchillo off his trail. Diego answers questions with questions, a ploy that might work well with Garcia but is noted accurately for what they are - an attempted distraction - by Cuchillo. It is no accident that when Cuchillo sketches Diego he immediately begins to add a mask to the face in the picture. Bernardo's quick action to obliterate the picture adds to Cuchillo's certainty. This intelligent bandido is onto something, and he knows it. Had he stayed in Los Angeles much longer, Zorro would have been revealed.

By MaryAnn




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