And so the mills of the gods wuz turnin’ slowly but surely, and slavery, and oppression, and class hatred, and personal spite, and bitterness, and social contempt, and ignorance wuz gettin’ ready to be ground out into the food whereby Vengeance and Horror should be sated. Very quickly but very surely wuz the preparations goin’ on for Victor’s departure for the colony. Nearly all of them who wuz goin’ with him had been able to get a little money ahead. On an average, they had about five hundred dollars each. Some had more than this, and wuz takin’ out wife, or children, or parents, who had less; so that the actual amount each member of the colony would have would be about five hundred dollars. Victor had planned that, with careful and prudent management in that warm climate, where no extra amount wuz needed for fuel or heavy clothin’, where food of a certain kind could be obtained almost by pickin’ it off the trees about them, where a very simple and cheap cabin would be all the shelter and protection they might need— He thought that this money, in the hands of intelligent and prudent managers, would keep the colony fed and clothed, buy necessary tools and stock, and keep them in comfort till they could raise crops in their own home. Father Gasperin, the good missionary who had labored all his life amongst the black people, wuz goin’ with them, and he, havin’ the love and confidence of them all, Victor had made chief adviser and treasurer of the company. Father Gasperin had a good deal of influence with them high in authority (he had renounced a high name and estate to dwell amongst and labor for the poor and lowly). He had made all the necessary arrangements with parties in Africa, and the site of the location wuz already chosen. When Cousin John Henry decided to cast in his lot with the colonists, Victor wuz overjoyed, for he felt that the good he would accomplish could hardly be estimated in teachin’, and preachin’, and helpin’ the colony in every way. Their future home wuz a beautiful valley lyin’ between two low, heavily wooded mountain ranges, and a clear river runnin’ through it to the sea. A sheltered, lovely spot, but with pure air flowin’ in from the east and the west along the course of the sparklin’ river. [Illustration: “A CLEAR RIVER RUNNING THROUGH.”] This river they looked to as bein’ for the present their highway out to the nearest town, some twenty miles away. And already in his mind Victor saw the white sails of their boats bearin’ away the fruit of their hands to be exchanged for articles of necessity and comfort. He could see the little wharf where these boats should come back laden with comforts for his people and news from the great world. He imagined Genieve and himself standin’ at the door of their tiny cottage, in the golden sunset or the golden dawn, lookin’ down this sparklin’ highway fringed with glistenin’ palm-trees.