he opinion that
I must be tired from my journey. I declined it. General Darrington then
questioned me about my family, my mode of living; and after a few
moments became very much excited, renewing his harsh invectives against
my parents. It was at this stage of the interview that he uttered the
identical words quoted by the witness: 'My Will is so strong, no
contest can touch it, and it will stand forever between your mother and
my property.'

"Immediately after, he went to the door leading into the library and
called 'Bedney!' No one answered, and he shut the door, kicking it as
it closed. When he came back to his chair, he said very bitterly: 'At
least we will have no eavesdroppers at this resurrection of my dead.'
He told me all the story of my mother's girlhood; of her marriage,
which had infuriated him; that he had sent her a certain proportion of
property, and then disowned and disinherited her. Afterward he
described his lonely life, his second marriage which was very happy,
and his adoption of his wife's son, who, he repeatedly told me, had
usurped my mother's place in his affections. Finally he said:

"'Your mother has asked for one hundred dollars. You shall have it; not
because I recognize her as child of mine, but because a sick woman
appeals to a Southern gentleman.'

"He took a bunch of keys from his pocket, and with one of them opened a
safe or iron closet on the wall near the chimney, and from that vault
he brought a square black tin box to the table, where he opened it. He
took out a leather bag, and counted into my hand five gold pieces of
twenty dollars each. The money was given so ungraciously that I told
him I would not accept it, save as a loan for mother's benefit; and
that as soon as I could earn it I would return the amount to him. I was
so anxious to get away, I started toward the library door, but he
called me back, and gave me the morocco case which contains the
sapphires. He said my mother's mother had bought them as a gift for her
daughter, to be worn when she was graduated at school; but as she
married and left school without his knowledge, the jewels had never
been seen by her. He told me he had intended to give them to his son
Prince, for his bride, but that now he would send them to mother, who
could sell them for a handsome sum, because they were valuable. He
showed so much sorrow at this time, that I begged him to give me some
message of pardon and affection, which she would prize