Rothsay gave his school a vacation and set out with Scythia to find the valley where they were reported to be in camp.
"This valley below, Cora, dear," said Rothsay, interrupting the course of the narrative. "But when we reached it, the Nez Percees had disappeared. A lonely old hunter, who had built this hut, was the only human being in the place, and he was slowly dying, and he would have died alone but for the opportune arrival of old Scythia and myself. He told us that the Nez Percees had crossed the river about two weeks before, and were far on their migration west."
"Old Scythia sat down flat on the floor, drew up her knees, folded her hands upon them, dropped her head, and died as quietly as a tired child falls to sleep."
"Oh!" exclaimed Corona, "how sad it was."
"Yes; it was sad; age, fatigue and disappointment did their work. I buried her body under that pine tree where your Uncle Clarence sat down.
The old hunter"s struggle with dissolution was longer. He lingered five days. I waited on him until death relieved him, and then laid his body to rest beside old Scythia"s. I was then preparing to return to La Terrepeur, when a wandering scout brought me the news of the ma.s.sacre of the inhabitants and the destruction of the settlement. Since that time, dear Corona, I have lived alone on this mountain. That is all. Come, shall we go down and see your uncle?"
"Yes," said Corona.
And they arose and walked down into the valley.
They soon found the wagon camp of Clarence Rockharrt and his followers.
The horses and mules, which had been unharnessed, watered and fed, were now tethered to the scattered tree trunks, and were nosing about under the dried leaves in search of the tender herbage that was still springing in that genial soil beneath the shelter of the fallen foliage.
The wagons had been drawn up under cover of the thicket and prepared as sleeping berths.
On the gra.s.s was spread a large white damask table cloth, and on that was arranged a neat tea service for three.
Martha was busy at a gypsy fire boiling coffee and broiling venison steaks.
"You are just in time, Rule. How do you do?" exclaimed Mr. Clarence, emerging from among the horses, and coming forward to shake hands with Rothsay as if they had been in the daily habit of meeting for the last four years.
The two men clasped hands cordially.
"I always had a secret conviction that you were living, Rule, and always secretly hoped to meet you again, "somehow, somewhere;" and now my prescience is justified in our meeting to-day."
"Clarence," gravely replied Rothsay, "you ask me no questions, yet now I feel that you are ent.i.tled to some explanation of my strange flight and long sequestration. And I will give it to you to-morrow."
"My dear Rothsay, I have divined much of the mystery, but you may tell me what you like, when you like. And now supper is ready," said Clarence, heartily, as the four servants came up, each with a dish to set on the cloth, quite an unnecessary pageantry where one would have been enough, but that they all wanted to see the long-lost man. And with the warmth and freedom of their race they quickly set down their dishes and gathered around the stranger to give him a warm welcome, expressing loudly their surprise and delight in seeing him.
"Dough "deed I doane wonner at nuffin" wot turns up in dis yere new country!" old Martha declared.
Then followed a gay and happy _al fresco_ supper.
By the time it was over the sun had set, and the autumn evening air, even in that southern clime, was growing very chilly.
So the three friends arose from the table.
Rothsay and Corona turned to go up the hill. Clarence escorted them, carrying Corona"s bag.
They parted at the door of the log cabin.
"I shall have our tent pitched at the foot of the mountain early to-morrow morning, and breakfast prepared. You will come down and join me," said Mr. Clarence, as he bade the reunited pair good night.
The wagon camp did not break up the next day, nor the day after that.
On the third day who should arrive but Lieut. Haught, absent on leave, and come to look up his relations. His meeting with them was a jubilee.
His sister wept for joy; his brother-in-law and his uncle would have embraced him if they had expressed their emotions as continental Europeans do; even the negroes almost hugged and kissed him.
On Lieut. Haught"s representations and at his persuasions the little camp broke up, and with Rothsay and Cora in company, marched off to Fort Farthermost, where they were cordially received by the commandant and the officers, and where the reunited pair commenced life anew.
My story opened with the marriage and mysterious separation of the newly married pair. It should close with their reunion.
The later life of my young hero belongs to history. It would require a pen more powerful than mine to pursue his career, which was as grand, heroic and romantic as that of any knight, prince, or paladin in the days of old.
His pure name and fame became identified with the rise and progress of a great State in that Southwestern wilderness. Soldier, statesman, patriot, benefactor, all in one, his memory will be honored as long as his country shall last. And yet, perhaps, the crowning glory of his character was his power of self-renunciation--proved in every act of his public life, but shown first, perhaps, when, to leave the life of one beloved woman free, he renounced not only the hand of his adored bride, but
"The kingdoms of the world and the glory."