CHAPTER IV.

JUSTICE DELAYED.

"Here is a small Bible which my mother gave me when I left home for the army; it has her handwriting on a blank leaf. Here is a package of letters which I received from my father and mother while I was with the army. Here is a certificate of my enlistment; another of my honorable discharge. Here is a statement sworn to by twelve respectable and disinterested persons, and taken since my return from the army, establishing my identity. Here is a certificate of the marriage of my father and mother, and a certified copy of their marriage license; fortunately, the minister who performed the ceremony is still alive. And here is a certificate of my birth, sworn to and signed by the doctor and the nurse, both of whom are also yet living."

Are there any affidavits to the genuineness of the handwriting of the letters from your father and mother?" I asked.

"Yes, sir," he answered; "there are also twelve of them. They are attached to the package of letters. There are plenty of persons besides who will testify to the handwriting of my father and mother, and, as to that matter, to my own identity."

"If you will leave these papers with me, Mr. Brantley," I said, "I will examine them. How long do you remain in Leonardtown ?"

"I shall not leave until the day after to-morrow," he replied. "I will stay longer if you need me.' "Very well," I said. "Call and see me again to-morrow at ten o'clock in the morning." Before he left, however, he told me that he made a scanty support for himself and his child by teaching a small school in Medley Neck. ley Neck" is the name of one of the old "Hundreds" of St. Mary's County.

"Med

June 6th, 1785. Mr. Richard Brantley came this morning at the appointed hour. I have determined to undertake the case, and shall file declaration and order the issuing of the original

I learned, during Mr. Brantley's visit to-day, that Mr. Key's impression was not so far wrong as I thought it was yesterday. Richard Brantley's mind is evidently much weakened by the physical and mental suffering which he has borne. He was very childish to-day in his complaints of the illtreatment which he has received, not only from his cousin, he said, but from "everybody." Even the little girl-" Honora" he called her-seemed to be ashamed of him.

Baltimore City, October 12th, 1792. Having to-day come across the above note, and the package to which it is attached, while engaged in search of some old papers, I think it well to add a statement here, comprising all that I know concerning Mr. Richard Brantley's affairs, in addition to what I have already noted above. This writing may, perhaps, at some future day, cause justice to be done to his descendants.

I brought suit; but, within a few weeks afterwards, I received so promising an offer of partnership from my old college-mate and friend, James Harley, already established in successful practice of law in this town, that I did not consider myself justified in declining the opportunity to better my fortunes.

I left. Richard Brantley's suit in the hands of the young lawyer Joshua Jones, whom Mr. Brantley had spoken of to me, thinking him best informed in regard to the business. Indeed, I found no other member of the bar disposed to take hold of the case; and even Mr. Jones, I think, was induced to do so mainly by my leaving other and, as he considered them, more "paying" cases to his care.

A month or so after I left St. Mary's County, Richard Brantley, having been offered a school in the western settlements of Virginia, went there with his little girl. I suppose he had but little faith in Mr. Jones, having tried him before to no purpose, and had come to the conclusion that all hope of obtaining justice was gone.

All that Mr. Jones did with regard to the business was to see that judgment by default was so entered against his absent client as not to interfere with any future efforts which might be made to obtain justice for him. WALTER TOLYER.

CHAPTER V. FROM THE DUST OF YEARS.

AFTER reading the manuscript of my maternal grandfather, I examined the package beneath it. | I found the contents to answer precisely to Richard Brantley's description of them as recorded above. Some passages in the letters, and especially the inscription in the little Bible, were very affecting to one acquainted as I was with the subsequent illfortune of Richard Brantley. But the quotation here of these passages would but delay the denouement of my narrative, and would, therefore, prove less than interesting to the reader. So I omit them.

"Well," I thought, after I had concluded the examination, "here is a just claim which has lain dormant for almost a century. If an heir of Richard Brantley can be found, and the descent of such person established, Brantley Hall may still be recovered for a rightful claimant. And I should like to be an instrument in causing justice to be done even at this late day."

What steps should I take to ascertain whether or not Richard Brantley had descendants, or a descendant, living? Should I advertise in the papers? There might be objections to that course; I would wait awhile and consider the pros and the contras of it.

Then this Miss Honora Brantley Hall! I had more reason now to be interested in that name in reference to the matter. "Honora" had also been the Christian name of Richard Brantley's daughter.

Of course, Honora Brantley was, in all likelihood, dead; for, if living now, she would be nearly one hundred years old. But this Miss Hall, bearing the full name of the former in addition to her own patronymic, was not only possibly, but probably, a descendant, or otherwise relative, of Honora Brantley.

If I could get an interview with Miss Hall, it was likely that this question would be solved at once. It was more than probable that she lived in Baltimore-else why should a letter be addressed to her here? But how should I learn the street

and number of her residence?

I looked into the Baltimore City Directory for 1876. There was a large number of Halls; but among them all was not one Honora Brantley Hall, or even Honora B. Hall.

Should I advertise for her in the daily papers? But that course might prove unpleasant to the lady, or might raise expectations not to be realized.

I determined to devote a few days to private inquiry, and then, if unsuccessful, to advertise for her. If I should fail to secure an interview with her, or, having secured such an interview, should learn that she is no descendant of Richard Brantley and knows nothing of such a person, I would then advertise in all the Baltimore daily and weekly papers for information concerning the descendants of him-the revolutionary soldier-who, while living, was deprived of his rightful heirship to the Brantley Hall estate.

It is necessary that I should make here a brief statement with regard to my law firm:

The first partnership was formed between my two grandfathers, and was styled "Harley & Tolyer." My father, John Harley, was taken into this partnership when admitted to the bar.

After the death of my grandfather Harley, the firm was entitled "Tolyer & Harley." As John Harley had married the daughter of Walter Toler (after whom, by the way, I was named), it seemed more appropriate that the name of the father-inlaw and the older man should hold the place of senior partner.

On my admission to the bar, I was taken into the partnership; and when my grandfather Tolyer died the name of the firm was changed to "Harley & Son."

After the death of my father I conducted the business alone for a year or two under the same title, intending to take my son John into partnership after he had passed his legal examination. This event took place in the spring of 1875

Gaston Willoughby, a college mate and bosom friend of my son, finding life uncomfortable with out the companionship of John, entered my office as a student two or three years ago. He was ad mitted to the bar in the spring of the year 1876.

During the years of Gaston Willoughby's studenthood I have become almost as much attached to him as John is. He is a young man of a cheerful, am able and loving disposition. Finding him hororable, talented and energetic, in fact, competent in all respects, we offered him the place of junior part

traditional family superstition. By-the-by, this peculiarity may have some connection with the remarkable relation which you have just made to me."

"I think it is probable," I said; "and this is my reason for wishing to have a conversation with the lady."

"I will open my letter," said Gaston, "and add a postscript, informing her that I shall bring you with me when I call to see her this evening. The reason, by the way, why her name is not in the City Directory is that she came here only last January. She is boarding with a private family, and is attending the Normal School, to prepare herself to make her own support by teaching. The small property left by her father at his death is sufficient for this purpose, as, being an only child, she is his only heir. Miss Hall is doubly an orphan, for her mother, as well as her father, is dead."

Gaston then opened the letter, added the postscript, placed the sheet in another envelope, wrote the direction on the letter, and then went down into the street to place the missive in a mail-box.

CHAPTER VII. A FAMILY RECORD.

WHEN I was introduced to Miss Hall that evening, I found her to be a lovely young lady, with graceful and winning manners and a refined expression of face. I formed, during the evening, a high opinion of her mental and moral worth. I noted, also, her evident attachment to Gaston, notwithstanding her maidenly efforts to suppress exhibition of it.

As there was other company present besides Gaston and myself, there was not a good opportunity of introducing the subject which caused my visit.

I stated to her my desire to have a private interview with her, and requested that—as the next day was Saturday, and her attendance would not be required at the Normal School-she would allow me to call on her at ten o'clock the following morning.

She seemed surprised, but readily made the en

gagement.

When I called the next morning, I found her alone, and at once entered upon the object of my visit.

"I have learned, Miss Hall," I said, "that your middle name is Brantley. May I ask, are you

related to the Brantley family of St. Mary's County, in this State?" "But why do you

"I am, sir," she answered. ask the question? I have reason to be much interested in such an inquiry."

Her manner plainly showed the interest which she expressed.

In reply, I told her of my having seen her name in the list of advertised letters, and of the middle and last words of that name seeming familiar to me; of the consequent search among my grand. father Tolyer's papers; of the discovery of the file marked "Richard Leigh Brantley," and of its contents.

"This is very remarkable, Mr. Harley," she said. "In conversation with Mr. Willoughby I learned that his mother was a Miss Brantley, of Brantley Hall, St. Mary's County. This reminded me of a Bible belonging to me, containing very full family records, which was once the property of one of my great-great-grandfathers. It was in the care of Colonel Amery, of Salem, Virginia, my uncle on my mother's side and my guardian. I wrote to him to send it to me. The letter, the address of which you saw in the advertised list, was from him in reply, intended to inform me that he had forwarded the book to me by express. With the carelessness of which he is often culpable, he neglected to add my street and number. The omission of these seems in this instance to have been providential, since it drew your attention to The package containing the book was indorsed with my address in full, and came safely to hand this day week."

me.

"Will you let me see the book, Miss Hall?" I asked.

"Certainly," she said.

She left the room. Returning in a few minutes, she placed on a table near me a large old quarto family Bible, in the old-fashioned type and substantial binding of a hundred years ago.

Opening the volume at the end of the Old Tes tament, she drew my attention to the family record.

Before the leaves devoted to the registering of marriages, births, and deaths, several sheets of foolscap paper were firmly fastened.

On these were pasted what I afterwards ascer tained to be certificates, in legal form, verifying every marriage, birth, and death in the family from the year 1795 down to the birth of the young lady before me. The first of these leaves, however,

contained the following lines, written in a beautiful old-fashioned round-hand, and with ink that was still unfaded:

"SALEM, VIRGINIA.

On this 28th of November, 1809, I here record, and do all that is in my power to aid in the future redress of a most grievous wrong, and to restore to my descendants the rights of which I have been despoiled.

I am the only child and rightful heir of William Gough Brantley, of Brantley Hall, St. Mary's County, Maryland.

While I was serving in the army of my country, in the war of her independence, my father and mother died. My unnatural cousin, Thomas Brantley, pretending that I was slain in battle, took possession of all my father's property. When I returned to St. Mary's County, after my honorable discharge from the army, diseased and enfeebled in mind as well as body by my wounds, he denied my identity, and still deprives me of my rights. No one, having the means, has shown any disposition to aid me in obtaining redress.

Walter Tolyer, lawyer, of Baltimore, Maryland, has in his possession important papers, which are necessary, at this late day, to the establishment of my claims. Since my life has become more settled of late years, I have written to him to return them to me. I have received no reply from him. Nevertheless, trusting that a kind Providence will cause those papers to be taken care of and produced at His own fitting time, I urgently desire my descendants to follow and fulfill my advice as follows:

Let every marriage, birth, and death of my direct heirs be plainly recorded in this book, and let legally authenticated certificates, verifying each record, be firmly pasted on the blank leaves which I have inserted here. Moreover, let every member of the family bear Brantley as a middle name. I have entered, in their proper places in this volume, all the marriages, births, and deaths in my family, from as far back as my memory retains record of what I have learned of them, to the birth of my daughter's son-and so far, only child-who

is named after me.

RICHARD LEIGH BRANTLEY."

CHAPTER VIII. RESTORED AT LAST.

I have no means of learning the reason that Mr. Richard Brantley's letter, above referred to, was

not answered by grandfather Tolyer. I have heard my father speak of each of my grandfathers having had, at the same time, a severe and protracted attack of typhus fever in the early part of this century. Probably the letter arrived during their illness, and was mislaid and lost before their recovery.

I shall not trouble the reader with all the details of the records in the old family Bible. The following excerpts are sufficient to show Miss Honora Brantley Hall's direct descent from Richard Leigh Brantley, and her exclusive heirship to his rights of property:

"William Gough Brantley was born in 1730, and was married to Viola Leigh in 1755; he and his wife died in 1780, leaving one child, Richard Leigh.

"Richard Leigh Brantley was born January 21st, 1757; was married to Honora Wysham January 21st, 1777; and died June 18th, 1810, leaving an only child, Honora.

"Honora Brantley was born October 28th, 1777; was married to William Hall December 18th, 1795; and died July 10th, 1830, leaving one child, the only survivor of several, Richard Brantley.

"Richard Brantley Hall was born January 5th, 1797; was married to Agnes Wilson May 1st, 1825; and died June 4th, 1835, leaving one child, William Brantley.

"William Brantley Hall was born August 20th, 1830; was married to Mary Violet Amery February 10th, 1855; and died April 13th, 1874, leaving one child, Honora Brantley.

"Honora Brantley Hall was born June 3d, 1857.

This family record, supported by the papers in my possession and by legally authenticated certificates in regard to every important event, rendered Miss Honora Brantley Hall's claim to the Brantley Hall estate irresistible.

Mr. Edmund Willoughby, of Willow Grange, Prince George's County, Maryland, after an examination, link by link, of this chain of evidence, no longer opposed the marriage of his son to Miss Hall, and proposed to settle Brantley Hall on the young couple.

The young lady, however, insisted that a suit should be instituted in her name in the Circuit Court of St. Mary's County, and a judgment in her favor be obtained in due legal form. This she required to be done in justice to the memory of