Masquerade for Murder

Capitan Arrellanos continues his attempts to rule California by hiring Carmelo, a recent arrival to the pueblo, to kill the governor. Diego and Bernardo overhear the plan but don't act at once, hoping instead to learn who the other conspirators are. The governor has begun to recover and spends his time sitting outside on the patio, which prompts Don Alejandro to give a party to celebrate his better health. An unexpected danger arises when Arrellanos convinces Leonar to make the party a masquerade ball, for the capitan plans to sneak Carmelo into the party in a disguise. At the party, Diego sees that his father and someone else are both dressed as medieval executioners. He suspects the other man may be Carmelo, for this costume would enable him to come near the governor. Another costumed figure enters the ball, for Zorro slips in, determined to follow the executioners. One of them moves behind the governor and raises his axe, spurring Zorro into frantic action to stop the murder. The hooded figure escapes into the crowd, as does Zorro.