"Not for some time, from present indications,” replied Winthrop.
“No,” replied Marcus Donald, “I have to-day received a letter from Colonel Alexander, and he says it will be necessary, on account of pressing business in the Wharfage and Dockage Company down on the Gulf coast, to defer holding another Town Company meeting for some months. The only thing we can do,” continued Donald, “is to keep a good grip on our holdings here and wait. The dark days will roll by like so many clouds and the sun will shine again. Waterville will be in the ascendency. Strangers will be coming in, bringing money for internal improvements; this great valley will be settled up, and successful activity, in my judgment, will take the place of the present unfortunate depression.”
Vance continued his stay in Waterville several days longer than he had at intended. His frequent consultations with Horner Winthrop and Marcus Donald led him to believe they were two of the most honorable men he had ever met. Possibly they were wrong in their judgment about Waterville, but they certainly were sincere. They seemed like men who had been fighting for a goal against bitter odds. The goal was finally reached when the last obligation of the Waterville Town Company had been paid. They were left practically penniless, or at best, with very little money; yet they were content to wait until time should lift then out of the trough of the sea upon the waves of commercial activity again, which they fully believed would come.
When Vance started for Gold Bluff, he said he might see them again in a couple of weeks, and again, he might not see them for a year or longer. He was wholly undecided what to do.
Arriving at Gold Bluff in the evening, Vance made a hasty toilet and called upon the woman he secretly loved so devotedly. She welcomed him warmly. Soon after, they were seated in the little parlor where Vance had spent so many happy evenings.
The Colonel greeted him enthusiastically.
The open grate was crackling and burning cheerily with a bright wood fire, and seemed to add warmth to the welcome extended.