"I must hurry up," he remarked. "If the wagon traveled all night, it has reached the canyon ere this, and either Thompson has captured it, or Berghausen and the others have overcome him."
He was naturally very anxious to know what had happened, and walked at his quickest pace, his heart beating wildly with anxiety.
It was midday when he reached the calm and pleasant valley, passing in through the high rocks on either side, whose quaintly shaped forms seemed to resemble giant sentinels.
Going direct to the cave, he found it empty. In vain he called to his mother. There was no answer. Alarmed and still more anxious than before, he proceeded to explore the valley.
All at once he distinguished his mother's form seated on a fragment of rock. At her feet was the body of a man.
One glance enabled Tommy to comprehend what had happened.
Approaching her, he took her hand, saying:
"Mother, it is all over now."
She raised her tear-stained face to his. Then she lowered it once more, and cast her gaze sorrowfully upon the corpse, which was that of the bandit, Thompson.
"We are alone in the world now," continued Tommy. "Smithers is dead, shot by Berghausen; Alice was killed by an Indian, but I will protect you."