e fiction made no
difference. Molly disdained to believe them but they served to pass the
time as well as any better ones might have done. Indeed, fear had now
left them. The rest after their hard ride was pleasant and both felt
that they were simply waiting for their friends' return.

So they sat on, as composedly as if they were safe at home, till Molly's
eyes, fixed upon the distant road, suddenly grew startled again.

Leslie's latest yarn had been of an Indian outbreak, or uprising, of
recent date and in this neighborhood. He had heard it that evening from
the men at the inn and had not paused to consider how unlikely was such
an incident so near to the city of Denver. In truth, the "boys" had
invented the whole story, just for the sake of impressing the young
"tenderfeet"--Monty, Herbert and Leslie; and it had satisfied the
jokers that these youngsters "swallered it hull."

But Leslie had a gift for dramatic recital and listening to him the
affair seemed very real to the girl. The scene and the hour suggested a
possible repetition of the occurrence; and as there now came to her ears
the sound of distant hoofbeats on the road, and presently, to her eyes
the sight of a company of horsemen approaching, she gave one terrified
cry and darted into the forest behind her.

"The Indians! The--Indians! They'll kill us!"

Moved by his own eloquence and still believing the story he had been
told, the boy followed her flight. He did not even turn to look where
she had pointed but, with a headlong rush, dashed into the wood and into
a mass of briars which threw him face downward in their midst. Also, at
that same instant both the deserted horses set up a continued neighing,
which confirmed the fears of their riders who, both now prone upon the
ground, felt that their last hour had come.

CHAPTER IV

THE WATCHERS AT RODERICK'S

As soon as Molly and Leslie had ridden away, Mattie Roderick disappeared
within her own room and became deaf to all the inquiries made outside
her door. She was a high-spirited, "wild western" girl, accustomed to
obeying little else than her own impulses. She had a fine record as a
horsewoman and had been disappointed that she could not go with the
searching party. This being the case, it was next better to lend her
pony to that other lively girl who was so like herself.

But Mrs. Roderick was certain that the missing Molly and Leslie had
followed the first party and could give no comfort