“He’s gone to another trapping ground, comrade.”
It was indeed true; and Red Hand turned and led poor Pearl into the cabin, to prepare for the return to the stronghold of the miners.
CHAPTER XL.
TWO WEDDINGS.
In the shadow of the hill that sheltered his cabin, Carter Bainbridge, the Hermit of the Black Hills, found his last earthly hermitage—the grave. Standing by, watching the burial of the hermit, was Pearl, leaning upon the arm of her father, and so intent were Tom Sun, Lone Dick, and Buffalo Bill in digging the grave, and Edwin Archer in gazing upon the beautiful face and form of Pearl Vernon, that no one noticed the prisoner, Kansas King, quietly steal away, until all was over.
Search and pursuit were then useless, and, mounting their steeds, awaiting them in the gorge, the party started for the miners’ stronghold, where they arrived just at sunrise, and were greeted with wild hurrahs from all.
Buffalo Bill then accompanied Red Hand and his daughter to the Haunted Valley, and while he went on to tell the glad tidings of victory to the anxious party in the secret retreat, the husband and the daughter halted at the grave of poor Grace, and, guilty though she was, they sorrowed for her most deeply.
During the day the whole party of miners and settlers were gathered together at the stronghold. Most warmly was Pearl welcomed by Ruth Ramsey and all, when they heard the strange story of her eventful life, and hearty congratulations were bestowed upon Red Hand in honor of his new-found happiness.
Toward evening Major Wells arrived with his squadron. Though the settlers and gold seekers had nothing to fear while the soldiers were there to protect them, the danger from hostile Indians was still so great that the scout and the officers urged the settlers not to remain in the hills.