The alcalde is delighted to hear Leonardo Montez, who hid the jewel he stole from the Guadelupe mission sanctuary in Santa Barbara, has escaped in the pueblo's direction and probably comes to retrieve it. Felipe just sign-gestured Diego's painting 'Mona Lisa of the Puebla' resembles señorita Escalante, when Victoria enters in the flesh to report the alcalde just arrested Leonardo. Zorro rides to prevent the ecclesiastical treasure changing hands between both greedy criminals and frees Leonardo under the nose of the alcalde and some lancers

Diego looked forward to the arrival of the new mission padre Benitez, whom he knows from correspondence on ornithology. The priest who greets don Alejandro proves a brute who claims to take orders only from the cardinal; he makes all caballeros triple their contributions, for unnecessary renovations, and has his servant Carlos falsely arrested for stealing the church silver. Diego notices the handwriting is different- Zorro rides at night and hears him haggle the alcalde's share. In the morning Carlos is to be whipped, but Zorro brings the silver