"
"Who is he--really?"
"Charles Henley--Philip Henley's half brother by a negro mother. Did
you ever hear of him?"
"No; I was never told there was such a man."
"I doubt if anyone, outside those immediately interested, ever knew the
circumstances. Of course the family kept it a close secret. This is
where the man had all the advantage. As soon as the Judge died he
determined to represent himself as Philip, and claim the property.
"As Philip had been absent so long, no one could dispute successfully
his claim to be that individual. He possessed ample evidence that he
was the son of Judge Henley."
"But surely he would anticipate that my hus--Philip--would hear of his
father's death?"
"He took the chance of getting the property into his hands first. As I
understand the matter he possessed no knowledge that the Judge was in
communication with Philip. He believed the latter had disappeared
utterly, and would only learn of his inheritance through accident. To
prevent this he dispatched a man North to discover him, if possible,
and keep him under surveillance. He thought he had every avenue
guarded."
"And--and you said his mother was a negress?"
"Yes--old Sallie."
"What! That awful creature!"
"Probably she was not that in her younger days.
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