Chapter XVI: Part II: The Road to Monterey

GEORGE WASHINGTON OGDEN

The previous chapters

When Gabriel Henderson, young and keen for adventure, shipped
aboard a Yankee ship, and sailed around the Horn to California, he
little guessed how his future was to lie in that land of golden
fortunes.

It was in the days of bucko skippers and Gabriel, driven beyond
endurance by brutality and injustice, deserted ship while they were
loading skins from the ranch of Don Abrahan Cruz y Garvanza, not
far from the pueblo of Los Angeles.

He escaped, but only from one servitude to another, for Don Abrahan
befriended him only to reduce him to peonage on his ranch. Don
Abrahan was a power in all that district of California, his cattle
grazed on a thousand hills, and his name was feared for many square
miles.

Young Henderson finds that, though suave in manner, the don has him
in his power, and he accepts his bondage--but only until he can
plan escape, which is a difficult matter, owing to the power of Don
Abrahan.

He is made the servant of Don Roberto, son of old Abrahan, and
his lot is every moment a trial to his proud spirit. At the
feast celebrating the coming of age of Don Roberto, Henderson is
questioned by Helena Sprague, affianced wife of Roberto as to his
presence as a servant. They are talking--which fact alone would
compromise a woman in that country--when Roberto and a friend come
along. Helena escapes up a tree, but her slipper falls into the
hands of Roberto's friend.