Bernard DeVotos' Letters From The Earth contains a version of The Great Dark
in which Devoto summarizes what I assume was Paines translation of how Twain
intended the story to end.  It wasn't clear to me if all of this was based
on
assumption and loose translation of the notes or if it is held to be fairly
accurate. Is it possible that the story was meant to be ended in the way
that
it is usually published? It doesn't seem likely that Twain would violate one
of the "Rules of Romantic Fiction" by writing a tale that accomplishes
nothing and arrives nowhere as he cited Cooper of doing. Does anyone know of
any other sources in which other editors have speculated on this?

Aaron