The de la Vega's are surprised the poor farmer Maceas offers them a free load of beans, because he believes Zeus, a fine stallion he nursed to racing shape after don Esteban ordered it put down, will win him a fortune from a certain señor Herrera. The whole pueblo bets on the race, after don Diego won a friendly challenge accepted by don Alejando, but remarked the stranger held his horse back, the alcalde even wagers 4,000 pesos of taxes collected for the governor.