"
"Well, then," resumed Mr. Balch--"This gentleman, Mr.----, is a resident in
your city; and he will, no doubt, take an early opportunity of calling on
you, in reference to the matter. It is my opinion, that without a will in
their favour, these children cannot oppose his claim successfully, if he
can prove his consanguinity to Mr. Garie. His lawyer here showed me a copy
of the letters and papers which are to be used as evidence, and, I must
say, they _are entirely_ without flaw. He proves himself, undoubtedly, to
be the first cousin of Mr. Garie. You are, no doubt, aware that these
children being the offspring of a slave-woman, cannot inherit, in this
State (except under certain circumstances), the property of a white father.
I am, therefore, very much afraid that they are entirely at his mercy."
"Well, then," said Walters, when Mr. Balch finished reading the letter, "it
is clear there is an heir, and his claim _must_ be well sustained, if such
a man as Beckley, the first lawyer in the State, does not hesitate to
endorse it; and as all the property (with the exception of a few thousands
in my hands) lies in Georgia, I'm afraid the poor children will come off
badly, unless this new heir prove to be a man of generosity--at all events,
it seems we are completely at his mercy.
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