"Good boy. We'll raise the cry that my mare has disappeared. While you're riding to the pasture to drive Betty into the woods, I'll drop down to the tent where the strangers are, look at their ponies and swear that the roan is mine.
"The people will do the rest. There's only one end for horse thieves and that's the hangman's noose.
"The rescue will be forgotten when your rival is dangling from a tree."
The plot met with the unqualified approval of the lad and his toad-like body quivered with excitement.
"Now be off to the pasture," commanded his father. And as Fred galloped away to drive the mare into the woods, the storekeeper picked up his hat and set forth to attend to his part of the dirty business.
Around the unsuspecting outlaws was an admiring gallery of men and women, the latter predominating.
Forcing his way through them till he reached the horses, the elder Consollas approached Jesse's, eyeing the splendid creature critically.
Several acquaintances spoke to him, but without noticing them, he opened the mare's mouth and looked at her teeth.
Summoning an angry expression, the storekeeper turned to the bandits and demanded:
"Where did you get that roan?"