The Narrative Path of Frank R. Strayer: Decoding La cruz y la espada

In California, in the late eighteenth century, José Antonio Romero lives in a village near one of Junípero Serra's Franciscan missions. When gold is discovered, José gets a group of men together to form a prospecting expedition. José goes to talk to his good friend, Brother Francisco, and tells him that he wants to find gold so that he can give a good life to his beloved, Carmela. Meanwhile, Carmela tells her aunt that she is not sure if she loves José. Bandits, led by El Mestizo, arrive at the mission and kidnap Carmela. Brother Francisco pursues then rescues her, and realizes that she is his friend José's beloved. At the chapel, Carmela is surprised to learn that her rescuer is Brother Francisco, and she asks why he gave up the world for a religious vocation. He tells her that it was because of his sorrow over a woman. Jaime arrives from the mining camp and tells Francisco that Esteban has been stabbed. Francisco volunteers to go to render medical aid and, on his way back from the camp, shelters from a storm in a cave where he discovers gold. Francisco then battles with temptation. His evil conscience tells him to take the beautiful Carmela and the gold. Francisco imagines that he goes to Carmela and tells her that he has burned his novitiate's clothing. However, Francisco overcomes these temptations and later writes to José telling him of the gold's location. In a cantina back at the village, a drunken local tells José that Carmela and Francisco have been seen flirting. José madly confronts Francisco, who denies all charges of infamy. After José attacks his old friend with a knife, Francisco tells him that Carmela is completely pure and José begs for the brother's forgiveness. Carmela arrives and Francisco says that José has asked him to sing at their wedding. At the ceremony, Francisco joyously sings their wedding song.