s found at daybreak on June the ninth。〃 He glowered at the American。 〃Once； you would call a coincidence。 Twice； you would call suspicious。 But three times； what would you call that？〃
〃I'm not good at naming things；〃 was all Manning said quietly。
Robles thumbed the lever of the voice conveyor on his desk。
〃Bring me in Juan Cardozo； foreman of the ranch at Las Cruces。 It's about fifty kilometers out； on the overland road。 Just follow that and you'll e to it。 No charges； just wanted for questioning。〃
He was burned a deep mahogany from year…around exposure to the sun。 He had e in just as they found him： blue cotton work shirt open at the neck； a sort of poncho arrangement slung over one shoulder； corduroy pants； the embossed silver belt of the typical riding man about his middle； and a shapeless felt hat； wavy…brimmed from being continually soaked down and allowed to dry out again； probably right on his head。
He had a small but very stiff…haired black mustache。 Occasionally； during the long hours it went on； they bet him smoke。 As if to bet him remember what fort and ease were bike after all this time。 The implication being he could have them back again at will； if he would only admit the worst about himself。 Whenever they did let him smoke； he would take a paper from his pocket and slowly； lovingly roll one for himself。 It was almost a pleasure to watch him at it； he was so deft； so artistic about it。
〃I found it when I was making my rounds on horseback one day；〃 he was saying when Manning slipped unobtrusively into the room behind all their backs。 Strictly speaking； he had no business there。 But then； strictly speaking； they had no business holding the man Cardozo there； either。 Not as yet。
〃Its mother had been killed； and it was shivering there by the body。 It was just a little mite then； a cub； coal black。 I picked it up and took it back with me to the ranch house and kept it there。 For a while we kept it right in the house； bike a kitten。 Then when it got a little bigger； I knocked together a sort of pen for it outside and kept it in that。 Then one day seсor here happened to e out； and he saw it； he asked me if he could borrow it for twenty…five pesos； he wanted to have a lady show it off in her car with her。〃
〃Who fed it？〃 Robles wanted to know in a dangerously minor key。
〃I did。〃
〃It knew you； then？〃
〃 Claro。 Any animal knows the one that feeds it。〃
〃You spoke to it when you fed it？〃
〃Sure。 Like you do； you know。〃
〃You had a name for it？〃
〃 Negrote。〃 * ＇The big black one。＇
〃In other words； it knew you； it was familiar with you。 You could approach it more easily than anyone else； isn't that true？〃
The ranchman sensed where he was being led。 He shifted uneasily。 〃Anyone could approach it。 All of us out there。 The seсor had no trouble； bringing it in to town…〃
〃Let us go back to dates； again；〃 Robles said disarmingly。 〃You have admitted you were in the city all night the night of the fourteenth of May。〃
〃I have already told you where I was。 At the Cantina Estrella de Media Noche。 Ask all the bunch who goes there； Hipobito； Benito Doinguez； they all saw me…〃
〃We have already； never fear；〃 Robles said with the placidity of an idol。 〃There is no clock in the cantina。 They saw you； yes； early in the evening。 But then after； for instance？〃
〃After it closed； I was where one always is after a cantina closes： lying with my back propped up against a wall； outside in the street somewhere。〃
Robles scratched his ear perplexedly； as though at a boss； not knowing what question to ask next。 A pletely false impression； Manning knew； watching him from the background。 〃Let us leave the night of the fourteenth； it seems to be getting us nowhere。 On the twenty…sixth； you say…〃
Cardozo showed his teeth around at them。 〃I have already told you that too。 They will be charging me for three visits； instead of one。 Very well； I was at the house run by Doсa Sara…〃
〃Tell me； were you planning to elope with one of the girls there？〃
〃The andante is joking。 One does not elope with…〃
〃The andante is not joking；〃 Robles assured him icily。 〃Why then were you seen to have a riata * ＇A looped rope。 A lasso。＇ coiled about your waist the night you visited the house of Doсa Sara？〃
Cardozo's jaw fluctuated up and down； but all that came from his mouth were two meaningless pronouns。 〃I…I…〃
But Robles hadn't waited。 He was asking them faster now。 〃Why then did you have pieces of raw meat in a bag with you the night you were at the cantina？ Whom were you expecting to feed？ Yourself？〃
〃No； I…I…〃
〃And what became of that raw meat？ You had it no longer when you boarded the morning bus for Las Gruces。 And what became of the riata？ You had that no longer； either； when you made the return trip。〃
〃The riata…somebody in the house of Doсa Sara must have stolen it…they do that in those places； anything of any value。 The meat…maybe some dog or cat came along while I was sleeping on the sidewalk outside the cantina…〃
〃And what did you bring those things along for？ Was it because you had something staked Out； somewhere here in the city； that you wished to lead about with you for a while？ Was it？ Contesta！ ＇Answer！＇〃 His voice exploded。 〃Was it？〃
Manning thought he had never before seen such a look of dawning fear and horror on anyone's face as began to peer out on Cardozo's。 〃I…I…oh； wait； no； don't think that！ I did； I admit it； I did hope to save Negrote alive。 I thought perhaps I might e across him just by chance； throw him the meat； sling the riata over him； find some way of getting him back to the estancia with me。 It was just an idle impulse； a stupid thought that came to me… But not what you mean！ Not what you are trying to say！〃 He looked from face to face； pleadingly。 〃Seсores； what do you want with me？ I know； I have known for hours past。 I have not said so； you have not said so either。 I have been in town other nights； besides the three you mention。 Why don't you speak of them？〃
〃Very well；〃 Robles said acmodatingly； 〃we shall。〃 He consulted something。 〃You were in on the twentieth of May； por ejemplo。〃
〃Yes； yes！〃 Cardozo nodded almost avidly。
〃Did you have a riata with you that night？ Raw meat that night？〃
The back of answer was the answer。
〃You were in on the thirty…first。 Did you then； either？〃
Cardozo shivered a little； and his head went over； as though he were peering closely at something out before his feet。
〃Only on the nights on which something happened in this city did you e provided with the rather curious articles we have mentioned。 Not on the others。〃
The man in the middle of all of them leaped to his feet suddenly。 Restraining hands were immediately laid on him； but he stood there erect； facing his tormentors。 Even though he was shivering spasmodically； there was a sort of innate dignity pulsing from him。 Even Manning； the outlander； could feel it。 For a moment it made of them； not policemen around a suspect； just men around another man。 〃I have killed； yes。 I spent two years in jail for it； back in my native tierra。 It was over a woman； any man would have killed。 But not this way！ One kills in revenge； to right a wrong。 How can one be revenged on or wronged by individuals one did not even know existed； one never saw in all his life before？ Or one kills to rob。 At beast some do。 What other reason is there to kill？〃
Manning had taken a small file out of his pocket； he was shaping a thumbnail with it while' he lounged indolently back against the door。 〃One sometimes kills for the love of it；〃 he remarked unexpectedly。
Their heads all turned to look around at him。 He； in turn； had taken his eyes off the file for a moment。 Something went wrong。 He started violently； seized the fleshy bulge at the bottom of his thumb； bent over it； swearing softly in English。 The file dropped with a plink。
He came forward into the bight； holding the self…inflicted wound； as if to examine it better。 Yet he went on pleting the remark he had made just before the accident happened。 〃For the love of it； for its own sake； because they like the sight of blood