The drunken mob scattered as they left the town behind, some falling out and returning almost at once, others continuing on. But though Slocum and Rainey led, the pursuit was but a disorganized and disorderly thing, and showed little capability. “They’ll never do anything,” said Denton. He turned from the racing and drunken pursuers, and rode away alone, shaping his course in the direction he believed the false Buffalo Bill had taken. He had gone but a little way in this manner when he heard galloping hoofs. Some one else was heading in the same course. A mounted form loomed up out of the darkness, and this mounted form drew rein. “What, ho!” “Who’s there?” said Denton, clutching the revolver he had armed himself with before starting. “Are you Ben Denton?” Ben did not recognize the voice, and to be thus addressed rather astonished him. “Yes, that is my name,” he answered. The horseman rode near; then he saw before him a man he had once noticed in the Flash Light Saloon, a man whose face and nose were very red as if from much drinking. “Ho, ho!” cackled this man. “This is hard riding! I’ve been follerin’ ye fer nigh about an hour, seems to me.” “What for?” Denton asked suspiciously, and sharply. “Because of what I know about ye, and what I heard about ye. You’re interested in the rescue of the young lady that has been run away with by an imp o’ Satan who has been goin’ round playin’ a ruffianly Buffalo Bill?” “Yes.” Denton was puzzled. How did this man know so much? “Well, I’m Sile Deland. I’ve been puttin’ up at the boardin’ house over the Flash Light. I was gittin’ a horse fer myself when I seen you git that’n and cut out. And I follered ye.” “What for?” Denton wondered if this man was to be trusted. He knew nothing about him. “Because I’m a human bein’, and so am naturally int’rested in the capture of the same man that you aire; and I didn’t know but that we could hunt together, like a pair o’ wolves, say; and maybe I could help you, and you could help me.” “You know something about that man?” Denton asked. “I don’t, but I know he’s a rascal. My name’s Silas Deland.” “But I don’t know you,” the young man protested. “What do you want to capture that man for?” “Same as you do--to see that he gits what’s properly deservin’. Shall we two jog along together, er do we sep’rate right here? Maybe I could help ye. I was told you’d been shot; and when I seen ye go, I recognized the fact that you wasn’t fit, and was takin’ some mighty big resks.” Denton, who had been holding on by sheer strength, felt a sudden weakness, which he conquered. “I think I’d prefer to go on alone, unless you can tell me just where I can find that man, and who he is.” “If I knew where to find him, I’d be happier than a fool; but I don’t know. As to who he is, I don’t mind in tellin’ you that among them that knows him best he’s called Panther Pete. So I’ve been told.” “Panther Pete!” “Ho, ho! I see you’ve heerd that name?”