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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.

225

The Mucker