University of Virginia Library

7. CHAPTER VII.
THE VISIT.

`The direction in which my thoughts turned to discover who had written
these letters,' said the buccaneer, `was the northern university which I had just
left. The letters were mailed there, and it was my impression that they were
written there. I therefore began to revolve in my mind any enemy I had there
who would be likely to endeavor to do me an injury in this manner. But I
could fix suspicion upon no one. Whoever he was, I was at least satisfied that
he knew me intimately; was familiar with my style of writing as well as a perfect
imitator of my penmanship; and that he knew when I wrote to my parents,
and when they wrote to me; for he had evidently prevented my father's and
my sister's letters from reaching me.

`But I will not detain you, gentlemen,' said the wounded man, with recapituation
of the process by which I sought to trace these letters to the hand that
wrote them. Neither my sister nor myself were able to fasten suspicion upon
any one. She now believed me innocent and we were reconciled, and it would
have given her as much joy almost as it would have given me, to have discovered
the author of these letters. The day of the funeral of my father came
and we followed him to the grave. On our return to the house the will was
opened in the presence of my father's attorney, a justice of the peace, Mr.
Whanley, the Tutor, and a few relatives who remained.

The will was read aloud and I found to my confusion and dismay that I was
disinherited. Yes, gentlemen, my father acting under the influence of those
accursed letters had cut me off from my inheritance and made my sister the
sole heir to his property, and Mr. Whanley his executor! The clause affecting
me ran thus:

`Whereas my son Rafael having become an enemy to his native State, an
alien from his father's affection, and a traitor to every honorable feeling, by conjoining
himself with the Abolitionists of the north, I have thought it best to devise
and bequeath all my possessions real and personal to my beloved daughter
Anna. In so doing I do not any injury to my son Rafael aforesaid, inasmuch
as he has in his letters to me solemnly declared not only all slavery,
crime, but those who partake of the fruits of the slaves' labor criminals. I
leave him therefore to the innocence he covets!'

`When I had recovered a little from the consternation and anger which the
reading of the will had produced, I openly and publicly declared before them
all that I was not an Abolitionist, that my father had been deceived, and that
I was as true a son of Virginia as I had ever been! But my protestations of
innocence were all in vain towards changing the opinion formed by these standing

around me! They shrunk from me with horror and words of bitter insult
rung in my ears.

`I followed my sister to her room and accused her of having influenced
my father's will in her own behalf; but with tears she not only protested her
innocence, but also convinced me of her entire ignorance of the tenor of the
will until she had heard it read.

I now questioned her closely with reference to the particulars of the reception
of the forged letters. She said they were brought to her and her father
from the Post Office, by the servant who usually went to the office. I then examined
carefully the New Haven post-mark upon them, comparing it with that
on some letters which I knew were genuine. After a careful comparison, I
was satisfied that they were in a very slight degree dissimilar; but the difference
was so trifling, that no one causually observing them would have suspected
the forgery. The difference consisted in the cross-bar to the letter H, the
bar being a heavier mark on the seal stamp, than on the false one.

`I showed this to my sister, and we began to endeavor to fasten suspicion
upon the author of these forgeries. But all our conjectures were vain. I
resolved to seek Mr. Whanley, and lay the whole matter before him. This
course my sister also advised. I found him at his office, and opened the subject
to him as I would have done to a brother. But first I learned from him
that he had been in ignorance of my father's intention to appoint him executor
and knew nothing of it until the will was opened. If I had known he said taking
me by the hand, `I should positively have refused to act as executor to a
will which disinherited you!'

I told all to him and read the letters at the same time declaring my innocence.
He betrayed the utmost surprise and promised to use every means
to make known the perpetration of this forgery. I left him perfectly satisfied
of his friendship and confident in his integrity. But all my efforts to divine
the author of my wrongs was unavailing. As it regarded my property I did
not so much have cause to regret being disinherited as my sister declared she
should share with me equally in the patrimony. By Whanley's suggestion, I
resolved to visit New Haven, and get there if possible some clue to the author
of my wrongs. I departed from home two months after my father's decease
on this mission. I reached the place of my destination and there remained
several days trying to find some clue to my secret foe. Application with the
letters in my hand to the Post-master confirmed my suspicion that the stamp
was forged! Nor had such letters been mailed on that day. I was convinced
that I must seek my calumniator nearer home. Then gradually for the first
time, suggested I know not by what train of thought, the idea of Whanley being
the man forced itself upon me. I rejected the suspicion in the beginning,
and tried to throw it off, but it at length pressed upon me so strongly, that I
resolved to return home at once and charge him with it!

On reaching my father's house I found Whanley in possession! He met

me in the same fawning manner as before, but I rejected his hand; for I had
worked myself up, by thinking of circumstances, to the conviction that Whanley
was the man who had injured me. He saw by my manner at once that I
was not in humor with him, and being guilty he divined the cause.

`Why this coldness?' he asked looking very pale.

`Why are you here?' I demanded.

`As the executor of your father's estate, I am here to protect and take care
of the house!'

`Where is my sister?' I demanded.

`I have sent her to a boarding-school!' he answered

`By what authority?' I demanded.

`That of her guardian!' he responded firmly.

`Where is she?' I asked fiercely.

`That I shall not reveal at present!' was his reply. `I am not to be bullied
by a beggar!' was his rejoinder.

`I seized him by the throat and charged him with being the author of the
letters! By my own slaves was he rescued and I turned out of my father's
house!' But I will hasten to the end of my story of wrongs. That night I
received intelligence from a faithful negro, who came to the tavern whither I
went, that there was an armed party coming to apprehend me as an abolitionist
and the leader of a secret abolitionist club which I was said to be forming in
the country. He brought me a horse and entreated me to escape. I did so!
I mounted him and fled, not for fear, but that I might have time and opportunity
for revenge. I was the next day but one in Richmond, when I learned
that I had been out-lawed by a proclamation of the governor and a reward offered
for my apprehension? I fled also from Richmond sailing away in a brig
bound for the West Indies. For three years I was a wanderer and I became
a pirate, not from choice, but from circumstances. The brig was shipwrecked
and myself and one seaman were driven ashore upon an island which was the
resort of pirates. I remained with them three years by compulsion, for each
day I was burning with vengeance against Whanley whose conduct was to
me, a convincing proof of his guilt, and I was filled with anxiety about my
sister. At length the captain of our schooner, of which I was made second in
command, was killed, and I succeeded him. The very day I had the command,
I steered for the United States and entering the mouth of James River by
night ascended and anchored within a half of a mile of my paternal home.

In disguise I went ashore the next morning and after an hour's cautious observation
of the premises, I saw Whanley come forth, mount a saddle horse
which had once been my own, and attended by a servant ride away, After
he had got out of sight, I advanced to the door, being dressed as a common
sailor, and asked of a negro whom I well knew, `who lives there!'

`Mr Whanley, massa!' was his reply.

`Is Miss Whanley here?' I asked with doubt and fear.

`Massa mean mistress,' he replied. `She Missy Whanley once, but she
marry massa Whanley and now she mistress! Dare she be now?'

`As he spoke, I saw appear on the gallery a lady whom I with difficulty recognised
as my once lovely sister! I saw at a glance that she was wretched.
I approached her and touching my hat asked her if she would let me speak to
her alone, as I had a message from her brother! At this allusion to one whom
she supposed dead, she uttered a cry of joy that told me she loved me still!—
She led me into the library where we had had our first interview and there, I
made myself known to her! On recognizing me, she clung around my neck
and with tears of joy welcomed me to her heart's embrace. I asked her if she
was indeed married to Whanley?' She looked alarmed as if she feared he
would hear, and then answered `Yes, and I have reason to weep tears of
blood! Know you, Rafael, that we have both been his victims! It was he
who wrote those letters—for I have discovered all, all—wrote them that my
father might will to me the whole estate! His object in my being sole inheritor
was to get the whole into his possession by marrying me. He it was who
forged those letters and poisoned our father's mind, and he it was who drew up
the will! This fearful accusation of himself, I had heard him make over
and over again in his troubled sleep, and at length when I was convinced of
its truth enough to charge him with it, I did so. He confeseed it all, but
threatened my life and that of my infant's if I dared reveal it to a human soul.
He put me to school in a retired village, and under circumstances so unpleasant
that I was wretched. He came to see me and told me if I would marry
him, he would remove me and make me happy in the world of fashion. I consented,
and we have been married two years! Every day he renews his horrid
threat to me! He brought me a paper containing a notice of your death,
but which he must have forged. This was that I might believe I had no one to
appeal to! It was he who got out the writ of arrest against you, and induced
the governor to offer a reward for your apprehension!'

`Judge my feeling, gentlemen,' said the buccaneer Captain with strong emotion,
`judge my feelings on hearing this revelation of crimes on the part of
a man we had trusted as a brother. But I will not describe what I experienced.
I talked with my sister and told her what I should do. I told her that
she must remain passive, and let no feeling for the father of her child lead her
to interfere with my vengeance. I then left her!

`That night as soon as it was dark, I landed with my men, surrounded the
house, took Whanley and carried him on board my schooner. I secured him
in the cabin and immediately got under weigh. I left behind the following
note for my sister.

`Dear Anna, From this hour enjoy your estate and live for your child—
You will never see your husband more. Within three days you will be a widow!
I free you forever from a tyrant and consummate, at the same time, my
own vengeance! Be happy, and ere long we shall meet again!'

`After we had got to sea I went below and made myself known to Whanley
I never witnessed fear and horrow like his! I accused him of his crimes, made
him confess them in writing, and then with my own hands, fastened the rope
to his neck by which he was the next moment swinging at the yard arm!'