verdy's father came
down from Tennessee too. He emancipated all his slaves before coming. He
grew to hate slavery. He brought one old nigger woman with him to
Illinois. She's here yet, on a farm not more than fifteen miles away.
And Reverdy's father provided for her, and left a little fortune to
Reverdy ... more than $600, and that gives him a start."

The old lady talked on in this manner without a pause.

Just then Reverdy and Sarah came in. They had been for a walk. Sarah
had gathered a bouquet of wild flowers. They took in the scene, evidently
divined the subject of our talk. For Reverdy sat down and began with
gentleness to pick up its threads. "You have been told, James, I hope,
that Zoe is not trying to take anything from you. She will make no fight
on your father's will." ... "Will," I echoed. "There was a will then?"
"Didn't Mr. Brooks tell you?" ... He hadn't told me. He had scarcely had
the opportunity. But if Zoe had been remembered in the will what was the
danger now? "No, your father was fond of Zoe ... he remembered her; but
not to the same extent that he remembered you. She gets $500 of the
estate and you get the rest. But the hitch is here: we have eleven
lawyers in Jacksonville and another one studying to be a lawyer; this
newcomer, Douglas. And they are as hungry as catfish after a hard
winter. And Mr. Brooks feared that some of these fellows would try to
stir up a little business by using Zoe to attack the will, and he
thought it was best to get it settled. He was a good friend of your
father's, liked him, and he wants to see his wishes carried out. Your
father was one of the best of men. It's a great loss to the
community ... his death."

But as Zoe was my sister why should she not have some of the land that
my father left? Should her dark skin deprive her of that? My father had
evidently thought so. But now I could settle the estate by enforcing the
will, or I could divide the estate with her equally. Could I enforce the
will after all? I knew nothing of such things. I hadn't asked Mr.
Brooks' advice about anything. There I sat then going over these matters
in my mind, in a kind of weariness and sickness of heart. I had heard of
cases where wills had been rejected for fraud or lack of mind on the
part of the maker. Was it possible that my father's mind was disturbed?
What fraud could have been wrought upon him? I, the chief beneficiary,
had not influenced him; no one could have done so for me. Wh