The bow-legged little puncher watched his friend, just as a faithful dog does his master.  He asked no questions.  In good time he knew he would be told all it was necessary for him to know.

As they rode from the Bronx, Clay outlined the situation and told his plans so far as he had any.

“So I’m goin’ to take a whirl at it, Johnnie.  Mebbe they’re lyin’ low up in that house to get me.  Mebbe the note’s the real thing.  You can search me which it is.  The only way to find out is to go through with the thing.  Yore job is to stick around in front of the hacienda and wait for me.  If I don’t show up inside of thirty minutes, get the police busy right away breakin’ into the place.  Do you get me, Johnnie?”

“Lemme go with you into the house, Clay,” the little man pleaded.

“No, this is a one-man job.  If the note is straight goods I’ve got to work on the Q.T.  Do exactly as I say.  That’s how you can help me best.”

“What’s the matter with me goin’ into the house instead o’ you?  It don’t make no difference much if they do gun me.  I’m jest the common run of the pen.  But you—­you’re graded stock,” argued the Runt.

“Nothin’ doin’, old-timer.  This is my job, and I don’t reckon I’ll let anybody else tackle it.  Much obliged, just the same.  You’re one sure-enough white man, Johnnie.”

The little fellow knew that the matter was settled.  Clay had decided and what he said was final.  But Johnnie worried about it all the way.  At the last moment, when they separated at the street corner, he added one last word.

“Don’t you be too venturesome, son.  If them guys got you it sure would break me all up.”

Clay smiled cheerfully.  “They’re not goin’ to get me, Johnnie.  Don’t forget to remember not to forget yore part.  Keep under cover for thirty minutes; then if I haven’t shown up, holler yore head off for the cops.”

They were passing an alley as Clay finished speaking.  He slipped into its friendly darkness and was presently lost to sight.  It ran into an inner court which was the center of tortuous passages.  The cattleman stopped to get his bearings, selected the likeliest exit, and brought up in the shelter of a small porch.  This, he felt sure, must be the rear of the house he wanted.

A strip of lattice-work ran up the side of the entrance.  Very carefully, testing every slat with his weight before trusting himself to it, he climbed up and edged forward noiselessly upon the roof.  On hands and knees he crawled to the window and tried to peer in.

The blind was down, but he could see that the room was dark.  What danger lurked behind the drawn blind he could not guess, but after a moment, to make sure that the revolver beneath his belt was ready for instant use, he put his hand gently on the sash.

His motions were soundless as the fall of snowflakes.  The window moved slowly, almost imperceptibly, under the pressure of his hands.  It gave not the faintest creak of warning.  His fingers found the old-fashioned roller blind and traveled down it to the bottom.  With the faintest of clicks he released the spring and guided the blind upward.