o, but man, des watch my smoke when I git up North. Yer hear frum me,
yer will."

"I hopes I hear de right news."

Sam replaced his coin with a touch of authority in possession.

"Don't yer worry 'bout me no mo'. I'se a free man now an' I gwine ter
come into de Kingdom."

The last important task done by the Colonel before taking the train for
New York was the delivery to his lawyers of instructions for the removal
of the Doyles and the placing in his hands sufficient funds for their
journey.

He spent a day in Washington investigating the chances of the new
settler securing a quarter section of land in Miami County, Kansas,
the survey of which had been completed. He selected this County on the
Missouri border to please Mrs. Doyle. She wished to live as near the
line of old Virginia's climate as possible and in a country with trees.

Doyle promised to lose no time in disposing of his goods. The father,
mother, three sons and two little girls were at Arlington to bid the
Colonel and his family goodbye. They were not a demonstrative people but
their affection for their neighbor and friend could not be mistaken.

The mother's eyes followed him with no attempt to hide her tears. She
wiped them away with her handkerchief. And went right on crying and
wiping them again. The boys were too shy to press forward in the crowd
and grasp the Colonel's hand.

On arrival in New York the party stopped at the new Hotel Astor on
Broadway. Colonel Lee had promised to spend a day at Fort Hamilton,
his old command. But it was inconvenient to make the trip until the
following morning.

Besides, he had important business to do for Sam. He had sent two of the
servants, whom he had emancipated, to Liberia, and he planned the same
journey for Sam. He engaged a reservation for him on a steamer sailing
for Africa, and returned to the hotel at nine o'clock ready to leave for
Fort Hamilton.

He was compelled to wait for Sam's return from the boarding house for
colored people on Water Street where he had been sent by the proprietor
of the Astor. Not even negro servants were quartered in a first-class
hotel in New York or any other Northern city.

Sam arrived at half-past nine, and the Colonel strolled down Broadway
with him to the little park at Bowling Green. He found a seat and bade
Sam sit down beside him.

The boy watched the expression on his old master's face with dread. He
had a pretty clear idea what this interview was to be abo