Billy fell in with this request. He had a well-founded confidence in Lake's luck and attached much more significance to the trifling matter of the red-roan horse than did the original discoverer--especially since the discoverer had bethought himself to go to the hospital on an errand of mercy. Billy now confidently expected early developments. And he preferred personally to conduct the arrest, so that he might interfere, if necessary, to prevent any wasting of good cartridges. He did not expect much trouble, however, providing the affair was conducted tactfully; reasoning that a dead game sport with a clean conscience and a light heart would not seriously object to a small arrest. Poor Billy's own heart was none of the lightest as he went on this loyal service to his presumably favored rival. Bicycle-back, he accompanied the sheriff beyond the outworks to the Mexican quarter. Near the place indicated by the banker Billy left his wheel and strolled casually round the block. He saw the red-roan steed and noted the Double Rainbow branded on his thigh. Monte was leaning in the adobe doorway, rolling a cigarette. Billy knew him, in a business way. "Hello, Monte! Good horse you've got there." "Yais--tha's nice hor-rse," said Monte. "Want to sell him?" "Thees ees not my hor-rse," explained Monte. "He ees of a frien'." "I like his looks," said Billy. "Is your friend here? Or, if he's downtown, what's his name? I'd like to buy that horse." "He ees weetheen, but he ees not apparent. He ees _dormiendo_--ah--yais--esleepin'. He was las' night to the _baile mascarada_." Billy nodded. "Yes; I was there myself." He decided to take a risk: assuming that his calculations were correct, _x_ must equal Bransford. So he said carelessly: "Let's see, Bransford went as a sailor, didn't he? _Un marinero?_" "Oh, no; he was atir-re' lak one--_que cosa_?--what you call thees theeng?--_un balon para jugar con los pies_? Ah! si, si!--one feetball! Myself I come soon back. I have no beesness. The bes' people ees all for the dance," said Monte, with hand turned up and shrugging shoulder. "So, _media noche_--twelve of the clock, I am here back. I fin' here the hor-rse of my frien', and one _carta_--letter--that I am not to lock the door; _porque_ he may come to esleep. So I am mek to r-repose myself. Later I am ar-rouse when my frien' am to r-retir-re heemself. Ah, _que hombre_! I am yet to esmile to see heem in thees so r-redeeculous _vestidos_! He ees ver' gay. Ah! _que_ Jeff! Een all ways thees ees a man ver' _sufficiente_, cour-rageous, es-trong, formidabble! Yet he ees keep the _disposicion_, the hear-rt, of a seemple leetle chil'--_un muchacho_!" "I'll come again," said Billy, and passed on. He had found out what he had come for. The absence of concealment dispelled any lingering doubt of Jeff Buttinski. Yet he could establish no alibi by Monte.