person of
almost wealth and consequence. His bounty-grants and land-warrants he
left in the hands of Bruce, with instructions to locate them to the best
advantage in favour of the girl, to whom he assigned them with the proper
legal formalities; a few hundred acres, however, being conveyed to
Captain Ralph and the worthy Dodge,--of whom the latter had given over
all thought of returning to the Bay-State, having, as he said, "got his
hand in to killing Injuns, and not caring a fourpence-ha'penny for the
whole everlasting set of them."

Thus settling up his accounts of gratitude, he joyously, and with Edith
still more joyous at his side, turned his face towards the East and
Virginia,--towards Fell-hallow and home: to enjoy a fortune of happiness
to which the memory of the few weeks of anguish and gloom passed in the
desert only served to impart additional zest.

Nor did he, even in the tranquil life of enjoyment which he was now
enabled to lead, lose his interest in the individuals who had shared his
perils and sufferings. His inquiries, made wherever, and whenever,
intelligence could be obtained, were continued for many years, until, in
fact, the District and Wilderness of Kentucky existed no more, but were
both merged in a State, too great and powerful to be longer exposed to
the inroads of savages. The information which he was able to glean in
relation to the several parties, was, however, uncertain and defective,
the means of intelligence being, at that early period, far from
satisfactory: but such as it was, we lay it before the reader.

The worthy Colonel Bruce continued to live and flourish with his Station,
which soon grew into a town of considerable note. The colonel himself,
when last heard from, was no longer a colonel, his good stars, his
military services, and perhaps the fervent prayers of his wife, having
transformed him, one happy day, into a gallant Brigadier. His son Dick
trode in the footsteps, and grew into the likeness of his brother Tom,
being as brave and good-humoured, and far more fortunate; and Roland
heard, a few years after his own departure from Kentucky, with much
satisfaction, that the youth was busily occupied, during such intervals
of peace as the Indians allowed, in clearing and cultivating the lands
bestowed on Telie Doe, whom he had, though scarce yet out of his teens,
taken to wife.

No very certain information was ever obtained in regard to the fate of
Pardon Dodge; but there was