It was a regular but unpredictable occurrence in many remote parts of Mexico. The bandits were ruthless. Women were raped and beaten; men were shot or hung. After it was all over, they would take anything of value and leave the village without food.
Thus far, Elena's town had been spared; no major raids for over 40 years. A few small robberies, but no one was hurt or killed. It may have been that their town was larger than most, discouraging marauders. Perhaps it was the fact that the town wasn't on the way to anywhere, quite remote.
A refugee family from a village to the south straggled into town late one morning. They gratefully gobbled the meal provided, having gone without food for days. Then the woman and man shared their experiences with the town elders and the Padre (priest). The village had been virtually wiped out by a large group of outlaws; only the few who were able to escape were still alive.
The two waited a full day after the bandits left before returning to the village from the hills where they were hiding. It was a gruesome site as they described it. Most of the women were partially clad, having been forced before they were killed. Only an old man was alive to talk about it. He died shortly after telling them what he had heard. The woman broke down, sobbing as her husband finished the story.
The outlaws openly discussed the fact they had wiped out most of the villages within a large radius, and that it was time to move somewhere with better opportunities. They were going to relocate their base of operations in a larger town only a couple of days' ride from Santa Inez. There were other towns and villages in that region which had also been peaceful for some time, and very likely had more to steal.
The couple rode the ancient horse they had with them up in the hills where they were hiding. They came directly to Santa Inez looking for an uncle and his family, who they hoped would take them in, and could not guess how long it might be before the Lopez gang invaded this town.
After much heated debates and exchanges between the elders of the town, three mature women entered the church and approached priest; two of the women were widows. They had to do something, or there would be no town left. They argued, cried, and consoled each other until well after midnight. By that time they had a plan; not a good plan nor a pleasant one. But they would voluntarily give the bandits what would be taken from them by force anyway.
The priest rang the church bell just after noon the next day. Once everyone was seated or standing in the aisles, the eldest of the three women rose and spoke to the gathering as the priest stood next to her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she described their plan.
Responses ranged from outrage to screams to fainting. But no one could offer an alternative which would save the town from devastating raids, and everyone acknowledged that, if the plan worked, lives would be saved and violence could, perhaps, be reduced.
The priest stepped forward to make clear that anyone who refused to support and participate in the plan would be banished from the town, along with their families. The stakes were too high not to have full cooperation from everyone. Staying together in a united front posed the greatest potential for success. People searched the eyes of those around them; banishment would likely result in death from a variety of threats.
Early the next day the priest left with the three older women in an oxcart. It took four days to reach the town the outlaws now inhabited and controlled. Bandits and townspeople stopped to watch as the oxcart entered the town and passed through. The priest stopped in front of the well-guarded cantina, helped the women down then escorted them inside.
It was dark and dingy; rough, ugly men sat at tables with scantily clad women. Against the back wall sat Lopez, leader of the pillaging outlaws. He set down his cards to look at the priest and three women before him. Their purpose in being there was unknown, but Lopez decided quickly their visit could be interesting as well as entertaining.
In his usual formality, the priest asked to speak with Lopez on an urgent matter affecting his town. When acknowledged, he turned to the oldest woman and urged her forward to discuss their proposal with Lopez.
She was a widow with three sons and two daughters, plus a dozen grandchildren. Elena was trembling as she approached the killer. She glanced at the priest for reassurance, then took two more steps forward and looked into the eyes of Lopez.
"What is it you wish to say, Seรฑora?" he asked her. There was a malicious, sick grin beneath the thin mustache. Regardless of what she wanted to discuss, her life was in his hands. He and his men could do anything to these women, even the priest, with no concern for consequences. He also knew the women were aware of their dangerous situation.
"Seรฑor Lopez, our town is very worried; we do not want any trouble or violence. We are not here to ask for your pity, but to offer a proposition, an alternative. We know you can take what you like, kill who you want. We have nothing to gain, but our families and our lives to lose by resisting you and your men." She was getting bolder as she went along, gaining confidence.
Elena continued, getting right to the point: "What if we selected eligible women in our town who would agree to do anything you or your men desired during a 2 day fiesta in your honor every month?" Elena was trembling as she resumed their offer. "Each time, we would draw four names from among our married and widowed women. They would be... they would be... completely nude and ready in the town square when you arrived."
She turned and gestured to the other two women. "We have all agreed to do as you ask; we will not resist. The rest of our people would be there to witness and make sure we obeyed your commands; to refuse could jeopardize all of us. The women would not defy you and risk harm to their families and others."
The priest stepped forward. "All we ask in return, Seรฑor Lopez, is that you not harm anyone, including our men and boys; and that you use only the four women we select each time so the unmarried ones can remain virgins until their weddings. We will prepare food for your fiesta, but please leave our town the rest to feed our families. Otherwise, it will not be long before we have nothing left."