plan, but he was by no means an aggressive factor in
it. Meanwhile, the company's officers in New York were concluding
arrangements to make the overdue payment, which was done a few weeks
later. With but little hesitation, Lieutenant Cienfuente accepted the
money from Messrs. Park and Mollenhauer, and Drake's little scheme
collapsed like a toy balloon.

A part of the above facts only were known to us when Messrs. Kelly,
Connell, Lowell, and myself had our hurried conference late in the
afternoon of our first holiday. Mr. Lowell was particularly excited, and
seriously disturbed by the apprehension that he might have his land
taken away from him. It was quickly agreed that it was for the mutual
interest of Drake and the colony that he should not be permitted to
spend the night in La Gloria. We went over to the house of General Van
der Voort, and discussed the situation with him. He mingled his
indignation with ours, and dictated a peremptory order that Drake
should leave the camp at once. I was commissioned to deliver the
message, and Messrs. Kelly, Connell, and Lowell volunteered to accompany
me. After a little search we found Drake near the "old senor's" shack.
He seemed to divine our errand and came forward to meet us, pale and
trembling, perhaps from excitement, possibly from fear. Indeed, we must
have looked somewhat formidable if not belligerent. We were all large
men, and Kelly was the only one of the four who was not six feet or more
in height. I gave Drake the paper from the general. Scarcely glancing at
it, he said, apologetically, in a low tone, "It's all a mistake,
gentlemen, I meant no harm to anybody." We assured him that we thought
he would be safer elsewhere than in La Gloria. He did not stop to argue
the matter, but turning went directly to the shack and saddled his
horse. We had intended to give him an hour; he was out of La Gloria in
ten minutes. He was obliged to spend the night in the dense woods.

The treatment of Mr. Drake was not hospitable, but the colonists looked
upon him as an interloper whose machinations might bring upon them a
great deal of trouble. I do not think he had any wish to injure the
colonists, but he certainly had an itching palm for the large stake
which he thought he saw within his reach. I saw him a week or two later
in Puerto Principe, and he was amicable enough. He still believed his
scheme would go through, but it was not long before his hopes were
dashed. He told me he wa