“Bet you’ life!” one was saying, the taller man of the two. “Thot’s my li’l’ horse grown big lak a house–and a-fine! Franke, we gettin’ thot caballo quick. We–”
A door had closed somewhere. The men heard it and crouched. But neither abandoned the ground. After some little time, hearing nothing further to alarm them, they set out along the fence to a rear door in the stable. It was not locked, and they lifted the latch and tiptoed inside. Up past the stalls they crept with cat-like stealth, gained the door leading into the corral, came to a pause, and gazed outside. The horse was still in his corner, his black coat glistening in the sunlight, and Felipe once more burst into comment, excited, but carefully subdued.
“A-fine! A-fine!” he breathed, rapturously. “He’s lookin’ joost lak a circus horse! You know, Franke,” he added, turning to the other, “I haf see thee pictures on thee fences–” He interrupted himself, for the man had disappeared. “Franke!” he called, whispering. “You coom here. You all thee time–” He checked himself and smiled at the other’s forethought. For Franke was emerging from a stall, carrying a halter. “Good!” he murmured. “I am forgettin’ thot, compadre!” Then once more he turned admiring eyes upon the horse. “Never–never–haf I see a horse lak thot! Mooch good luck is comin’ now, Franke! Why not?”
They stepped bravely forth into the corral. Yet their hour had been well timed. The house was still, quiet in its morning affairs, while the countryside around, wrapped in pulsating quiet, gave off not a sound. Cautiously approaching the horse, Franke slipped the halter into position, the while Felipe once more uttered his admiration. He was a little more direct and personal, however, this time.
“Well, you black devil!” he began, doubling his fist under Pat’s nose. “You haf run away from me thot time, eh? But you don’ run away again–bet you’ life! I got you now and I keep you thees time! I haf work for you–you black devil–mooch work! You coom along now!”
They led the horse into the stable, down past the stalls, and out the back door. Then they set out toward the river trail, and, with many furtive glances toward the house, gained it without interruption. Felipe’s lumber rigging and team of scrawny horses stood in the shade of a cottonwood, and Franke made the horse fast to the outhanging end of the reach. When he was secure both men seated themselves just back of the forward bolster, one behind the other, and Felipe sent his horses forward. Safely out of the danger zone, though Felipe entertained but little fear of the consequences of this act, believing that he could easily prove his ownership, he became more elated with his success and burst out into garrulous speech.
“You know, Franke,” he began, with a backward glance at the horse ambling along peacefully in the dust, “thot caballo he’s strong lak a ox. He’s makin’ a fine horse–a fine horse–in thees wagon! He’s–” He suddenly interrupted himself. “Franke,” he offered, generously, “for thees help I’m takin’ off five dolars on thot debt now. You know? You haf never pay me thot bet–thee big bet–thee one on thee wagon and thee horses. And you haf steal seex dolars, too! But I’m forgettin’ thot, now, too. All right?”
The other nodded grateful acceptance. Then, as if to show gratitude further, he very solicitously inquired into the matter, especially with reference to Felipe’s discovery of the horse after all these years. They were clattering across the mesa now, having come to it by way of a long detour round the town, and before replying Felipe gave his team loose rein.
“Well,” he began, as the horses fell back into a plodding walk, “I haf know about thot couple weeks before. I haf see thees caballo in town one mornin’, and a girl she is ridin’ heem, and everybody is lookin’, and so I’m lookin’.” He paused to roll a cigarette. “And then,” he continued, drawing a deep inhale of smoke, “I haf know quick lak thot”–he snapped his fingers sharply–“quick lak thot”–he snapped his fingers again–“there’s my potrillo grown big lak a house! And so–”
“But how you knowin’ thot’s thee horse?” interrupted the other. “How you knowin’ thot for sure?” Evidently Franke was beginning to entertain grave doubts concerning this visit to the corral.