Unable to release her foot, the girl would be knocked from her seat and horribly crushed, if her leg were not torn from her body. "Shut the gate!" yelled somebody. A score of men sprang forward, but the distance was too great. With a groan the spectators realized it. Women turned away their heads that they might not see the awful sight, men nerved themselves for the crash of the impact. Suddenly through the lane dashed a young fellow, his coarse, sensual face white with terror. Seeing him, the crowd took hope. "Ride, Consollas! Hurry, man! Use your spurs! Head him off!" rose from an hundred throats. Yet it did not take the anxious men and women long to realize that the youth was too scared to be of service in the emergency and once again despair seized them. Engrossed in following the runaway, the people had not seen three horsemen riding like the wind toward the helpless girl and it was not till a sharp command, "make way!" rang in their ears that they were aware of their existence, turning to see the handsome, bearded strangers, whose advent had aroused so much speculation, bearing down on them. Their surprise did not paralyze their limbs, however, and, as if by magic, the dense throng parted and Jesse, Clell and Frank dashed between them. Fully an eighth of a mile away had the outlaws been when the shouts had come to them, but the instant they had discovered their cause, they raced to the rescue. Skilled in the art of short dashes, they worked their thoroughbreds to wonderful speed. Not fifty yards from the corral was the runaway when the bandits swept between the spectators. And all of twenty yards behind were they. Their quick eyes noted the horrible fate that awaited the girl should they fail to help her. Caring not who might see, Jesse jerked his bowie-knife from its place of concealment and jabbed it into the flank of his mount. Unaccustomed to such treatment and terrified by the pain, the animal leaped forward. The burst of speed won cheers from the crowd, while cries of "go it! good man!" broke from many lips. Emulating their leader, Clell and Frank, knifed their horses. As though the runaway were standing still did the outlaws gain on it. Hearing the shouts and the thunder of hoofs behind her, the girl looked back. "Keep your nerve! We'll save you!" yelled the famous desperado while the crowd howled its approval. The boy who had been addressed as Consollas was far behind. Less than twenty yards away was the corral and two yards separated the bandits from the runaway. Yet though they rode for all they knew, only inches, it seemed, could they cut this distance down. With wicked jabs, the knives laid bare the flesh of the thoroughbreds. Neck and neck the three horses were running. "Spread out!" snapped Jesse. "When we get to the horse, reach over and cut the saddle-girth, Clell. Frank, you ride him off. Wake up! We mustn't fail now we're so near!"