usion, had the courage to stammer out, that he always
"thort his cabin war big enough for two."

"Stranger!" said Holt, turning to me, and frankly extending his hand,
"I've much to be ashamed o', an' much to thank ye for; but I accept yur
kind offer. You bought the land, an' I'd return ye the money, ef 't
hedn't been all spent. I thort I kud a made up for it, by gieing ye
somethin' ye mout a liked better. Now I see I can't even gi' ye that
somethin' since it appears to be yourn a'ready. Ye've won her,
stranger! an' ye've got her. All I kin now do is to say, that, from the
bottom o' my heart I consent to yur keepin' her."

"Thanks--thanks!" Lilian was mine for ever.

The curtain falls upon our drama; and brief must be the epilogue. To
scenes warlike and savage succeeded those of a pacific and civilised
character--as the turbulent torrent, debouching from its mountain
channel, flows in tranquil current through the alluvion of the level
plain. By our Utah allies, whom we encountered on the following day, we
were "outfitted" for recrossing the prairies--the abandoned waggon, with
a team of Indian mules, affording a proper means of transport. Not
without regret did we part with the friendly Mexican trapper, and our
brave associates, the ex-rifleman and ex-infantry. We had afterwards
the gratification to learn that the scalpless man survived his terrible
mutilation; that under the protection of Peg-leg, he and Sure-shot were
taken to the valley of Taos--whence, along with the next migration of
"diggers," they proceeded, by the Colorado, to the golden placers of
California.

To detail the incidents of our homeward journey, were a pleasant task
for the pen; but the record would scarcely interest the reader. The
colossal squatter, silent but cheerful, drove the waggon, and busied
himself about the management of his mules. The young backwoodsman and I
were thus left free to interchange with our respective "sweethearts"
those phrases of delirious endearment--those glances of exquisite
sweetness, that only pass between eyes illumined by the light of a
mutual love. Proverbially sweet is the month after marriage; but the
honeymoon, with all its joys, could not have exceeded in bliss those
ante-nuptial hours spent by us in recrossing the prairies. Clear as the
sky over our heads was the horoscope of our hearts; all doubt and
suspicion had passed away; not a shadow lingered upon the horizon of our
future, to dim the p