Golden Secrets

It was almost twilight when the crowd emptied the courtroom. Alicia heard a lot of muttering.

“Damned Indians ought to be run clean out of here. I don’t call them braves, I call ’em thieves.” Vulgar things were said in the presence of Nina and Masagawa, who were still hoping to see Pedro and Flaco released.

“Hard labor,” the trapper reported to them. “They will not hang, but Romo said there’s plenty of work to do in Monterey. They are being sent north to pay off their debts.”

“They go,” Masagawa said. Alicia realized Masagawa knew all along what the outcome would be. The brothers were being sent north to Monterey. Big star, north star.

“Is Padre Romo still in there? I need to see him.” Alicia was eager to let him know about the buckets.

“Romo? The padre was right behind me. Everyone is swarming around him, mad because he was easy on the boys,” the trapper said. “He’s a good man.”

“Padre!” Alicia called out. She could follow the top of his head in the middle of the throng. He turned from one angry man to the next, trying to calm their tempers.

“You need him, Alicia?” The trapper saw her concern. Either that, or Nina nudged him into action.

“Yes, it’s pretty important to me.” It was impossible for her to get the padre’s attention by herself.

“Court’s adjourned, men. Drinks are on me!” The trapper’s voice boomed out over the cluster of angry men surrounding Padre Romo. Like a hive of bees, the complainers swarmed to the saloon. A few threw up their hats in the air and yelled, “Yahoo!” Once they were gone, Padre Romo came to stand beside the women.

“Nina, you have yourself an excellent fellow in that trapper,” Padre Romo said. “He defended your brothers the best he could, and he just got me free of that angry mob.” Nina blushed. Padre Romo reached out his hand toward Masagawa and helped her get to her feet. Nina collected her grandmother’s beads, shells, and sage for the long trek back to the village.

“Padre, are you all right?” Alicia said. “They were so angry.”

“They like to yell and argue. Jesus himself faced many an angry crowd, and I’m no match for him.”

“I hate to bother you, too.”

“You are no bother. What is it, my child? Tell me.”

“I have a message from my sister Clara. We have more shells for the Mission.” Alicia felt silly speaking in a sort of code. “Do you understand?”