gave credence to her tale, and even consulted a lawyer; but they were
not sufficient without my evidence, and your father would not take any
steps in the affair. Your mother kept her as an attendant till her own
death, but your uncle must have heard from some source of the existence
of his brother; and after his death, which happened in battle at sea, he
tried to induce the widow to give up these papers. Failing in this, by a
large sum of money he tempted your nurse to poison her, and possessed
himself of them, representing himself as her husband's brother, but
concealing his rank. She was also to make away with you; but repenting
of the murder of your mother, she concealed you for some time in a
distant part of the State, but he discovered her and sold her to a
Tennessee planter. It was but this year I succeeded in tracing her, and
finding her almost at the point of death, got these facts from her,
regularly drawn up and witnessed. I bought her freedom first to enable
her to give evidence, and soon after her earthly account was closed.
Violetta D'Arista, your grand-mother's faithful attendant, gave me a
clue by which I traced you; and she is now in London, anxious to fold
you to her breast, and to aid you as far as in her power, to restore to
you your birthright and inheritance.'

'And the papers?'

'If not destroyed, are in his possession.'

'Then I can obtain them, although he has had, as he thinks, all the
subterranean passages stopped up, yet there remains one, by which I can
penetrate to his very bed-room unseen, although a stout man could not.'
The seaman mused. 'It would be dangerous. Your uncle is a brave man, and
powerful. If he awoke--and such consciences must be bad sleeping
companions, you would be sacrificed.'