Adventure stories; American fiction -- 20th century
Satisfied with what he had learned he passed out onto the sidewalk and
crossed the street to a saloon. Some soldiers and citizens were drinking
at little tables in front of the bar. A couple of card games were in
progress, and through the open rear doorway Billy saw a little gathering
encircling a cock fight.
In none of these things was Billy interested. What he had wished in
entering the saloon was merely an excuse to place himself upon the
opposite side of the street from the bank that he might inspect the
front from the outside without arousing suspicion.
Having purchased and drunk a bottle of poor beer, the temperature of
which had probably never been below eighty since it left the bottling
department of the Texas brewery which inflicted it upon the ignorant, he
sauntered to the front window and looked out.
There he saw that the bank building was a two-story affair, the entrance
to the second story being at the left side of the first floor, opening
directly onto the sidewalk in full view of the sentry who paced to and
fro before the structure.
Billy wondered what the second floor was utilized for. He saw soiled
hangings at the windows which aroused a hope and a sudden inspiration.
There was a sign above the entrance to the second floor; but Billy's
knowledge of the language had not progressed sufficiently to permit him
to translate it, although he had his suspicions as to its meaning. He
would learn if his guess was correct.
Returning to the bar he ordered another bottle of beer, and as he drank
it he practiced upon the bartender some of his recently acquired Spanish
and learned, though not without considerable difficulty, that he might
find lodgings for the night upon the second floor of the bank building.
Much elated, Billy left the saloon and walked along the street until he
came to the one general store of the town. After another heart rending
scrimmage with the language of Ferdinand and Isabella he succeeded in
making several purchases--two heavy sacks, a brace, two bits, and a
keyhole saw. Placing the tools in one of the sacks he wrapped the whole
in the second sack and made his way back to the bank building.
Upon the second floor he found the proprietor of the rooming-house and
engaged a room in the rear of the building, overlooking the yard. The
layout was eminently satisfactory to Captain Byrne and it was with
a feeling of great self-satisfaction that he descended and sought a
restaurant.
He had been sent by Pesita merely to look over the ground and the
defenses of the town, that the outlaw might later ride in with his
entire force and loot the bank; but Billy Byrne, out of his past
experience in such matters, had evolved a much simpler plan for
separating the enemy from his wealth.
Having eaten, Billy returned to his room. It was now dark and the bank
closed and unlighted showed that all had left it. Only the sentry paced
up and down the sidewalk in front.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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