The thing seemed so impossible to her. She did not, however, have the least inkling of the truth--that this cold-blooded and smooth-tongued villain had shot Denton but a few minutes before on the very steps of her own home. “Come!” said Panther Pete, as she hesitated, “I can’t stay long. Those vigilantes will know soon that I’m in the town, if they don’t know it already, and then I’ll be in peril of having my neck stretched so long that it would be easy to tie bowknots with it.” His words were flippant, but his manner was not. “Oh, is the danger so great as that?” she cried. “I’ve risked my life to come to you,” he said, with pretended earnestness. “Please hurry,” he urged; “for I’m in danger every minute we delay.” One of his men slipped to the ground. “We haven’t a sidesaddle to offer you,” said Panther Pete to her, “but this will do; and you’re a good rider.” “Oh, I can ride well enough,” she declared. “So father thinks I ought to ride out to the claim to-night? It seems strange; and stranger still that Mr. Denton should ride on in advance. I should have thought he would wait for me.” “He had to take a message in a hurry,” lied the pretended Buffalo Bill. “I’ll go,” she assented; “just wait for me a minute.” She ran back into the house, and when she reappeared a woman came with her. “It’s too bad to take a ride like that in the night,” said this woman; “and for my part I don’t think Ellen is in a bit of danger here. I think she oughtn’t go.” “But if father says for me to?” she objected. “He’s scared at nothing, so far as you’re concerned. There ain’t a soul in this town would hurt you, Ellen.” “You know what a wild lot some of the men are!” the girl urged. “There ain’t one of ’em would say a harmful word to ye!” the woman protested. Nevertheless, assisted by the dismounted horseman, the girl climbed into the big saddle, and then she took the reins and was ready to ride away. “Good-by, Mrs. Dean!” she said. “I’ll be back soon, perhaps to-morrow. This trouble won’t last long. I don’t feel that I’d be in danger here, but if father says for me to come out to him I must do it.” “You’re a sensible girl and an obedient daughter,” said Panther Pete, as they moved along the street, leaving the dismounted man behind. CHAPTER XXXV. MOBBED AND THREATENED. Panther Pete and his escort, with the girl, were seen as they galloped out of the town. A hue and cry was raised immediately, and the story was circulated that Buffalo Bill and some of his Border Ruffians had invaded the town and had kidnaped the beautiful Ellen West. The young man who had fallen from the steps under Panther Pete’s pistol fire, and had been left there by Panther Pete as dead, revived sufficiently to crawl to the next house, and to raise the alarm.