one o'clock
But , it seems the only way -- '' `` Of course it 's the only way ! And I 'm not a bit afraid . '' Hurrying to the corral , Patty saddled her horse , and a few moments later swung into the trail that led down the creek . She glanced at her watch ; it was one o'clock . The moon floated high in the heavens and the valley was almost as light as day . Urging her horse into a run , she found a wild exhilaration in riding through the night , splashing across shallows and shooting across short level stretches to plunge through the water again . After what seemed an interminable wait , Pierce himself appeared at the door in answer to her persistent pounding .