They reached the outskirts of Sacramento. Ramón kicked his stallion into a faster pace. Storm followed suit. The smoothness of the ride did not change, but the speed was impressive. Sam noticed the peasant on his little Paint horse had to gallop to keep up. The Paso was, indeed, a remarkable breed.
After a short time, Sam asked that they slow down so Wolf could keep up. Twenty minutes of riding brought the men and dog to the entry gates of the hacienda. The peasant immediately jumped from his horse and opened them. They rode through and down the road to the main house. Sam had never seen anything like this. The courtyard was adorned with flowers and statuary. The house with its tiled roof and balconies boasted of the wealth of the family.
There were men and women tending the gardens. As
