“Shall we go down and see your friends, Cora?  Tell me what you wish, dear,” said Rothsay.

Corona looked at her watch, and then replied: 

“Courtesy would have required me to go down and take leave of Captain and Mrs. Neville before leaving them, but it is too late now.  Their caravan is on the march by this time.  They were to have resumed their route at two o’clock.  It is after three now.”

“We can go to Farthermost later, dear.  It is but half a day’s ride from here.  Shall we go down the mountain and join Clarence?  Is it your wish, Cora?”

“No, not yet.  He is very well as he is.  He can wait for us.  Let us sit down here together.  I have so much to tell, and so much to hear,” said Corona.

“Yes, dear; and I also have ‘so much to tell, and so much to hear,’” assented Rothsay, as they sat down at the foot of the young pine tree, with their backs to the rising cliffs and their faces to the descending mountain, the brook at its foot, and the vast, sunlit prairie, in its autumn coat of dry grass, rolling in smooth hills and hollows of gold and bronze off to the distant horizon.

“Tell me, dear, of all that has befallen you in these dark years that have parted us.  Tell me of your grandparents.  Do they still live?” inquired Rothsay.

“Ah, no!” replied Corona.  And then she entered upon the family history of the last four years and four months, since Rule had disappeared, and told him of the sudden death of her dear old grandmother on the very day on which the false report of Rothsay’s murder reached them.

She told him of her Uncle Fabian’s marriage to Violet Wood a year later.

Of her widowed grandfather’s second marriage to Mrs. Stillwater, whom Rothsay had known in his childhood as Miss Rose Flowers.

Of the recent death of this second wife, followed very soon after by that of the aged widower.

And finally she told him of her own resolution to follow her brother Sylvan to his post of duty at Fort Farthermost, to open a mission home school for Indian children, and to devote her life and fortune to their service; and of the good opportunity offered her by the kindness of Colonel Z. in procuring for her the escort of Captain and Mrs. Neville, who were on their way to Farthermost with a party of recruits.

“And Clarence?  How came he to be of the company?” inquired Rothsay.

“Uncle Clarence could not agree with Uncle Fabian in business policy.  So they dissolved partnership very amicably and with mutual satisfaction.  This was after I had left Rockhold.  Clarence gathered up his wealth, brought three devoted servants with him, and set out to follow me.  At St. Louis he purchased wagons, tents, horses, mules, and every convenience for crossing the plains.  He overtook and surprised us at Fort Leavenworth on the very day of our intended departure for Farthermost.”

“Clarence came for your sake.”