Section 2, The Hand of God Summary

In 1869 a man named Don Pio Castro and his two brothers set out north of Mexico City to find a new place to start a new community. They want a place that is isolated and safe from roaming bandits, but that is fertile enough to support livestock and some crops.

They find that most of this type of land is taken, but finally discover a very high mesa that is unspoiled and has the required water and soil they are seeking. It is here they begin with fifty men, and are soon followed by the women and children.

Many years later, however, they begin to be bothered by men who used the Revolution to raid any villages they could find. Their livestock is either stolen or killed, and their houses and farms are burned for...