day of August, 1825,
did declare his natural son, hereafter to be known as Auguste de Marion,
to be his lawful son, granting him all rights and privileges to which
that status might entitle him.

Auguste covered his burning eyes with his hand.

_I meant so much to him._

"Now," said Ford, "the will: 'I, Pierre de Marion, residing on the
estate called Victoire, in the County of Smith and State of Illinois,
make this my will and revoke all prior wills and codicils.'"

It was the will Auguste had fought against until Pierre had finally
persuaded him to smoke the calumet; the will giving the chateau and the
land to Auguste. There were also monetary gifts to a number of servants,
including one of two hundred dollars to Armand and Marchette Perrault.
Auguste heard an angry-bee buzzing among the spectators. By seizing the
estate, and concealing the will, Raoul had wiped out these gifts. He'd
have to face some angry servants today, Auguste thought with
satisfaction. Including that swine Perrault.

"The prosecution will want to see those papers," said Bennett when Ford
had finished reading.

"Of course," said Cooper. "You may have a look any time. In my
presence."

After Ford had given the jurors the two papers to look at and had
returned them to Cooper's table, he turned to Bennett.

"Your witness."

Bennett slouched into the open area before the judge's table. "No
questions. Mrs. Russell, widowed by those savages, has surely suffered
enough."

Pamela Russell stayed sitting in the chair beside the judge's table,
clutching her leather bag. Her bosom, Auguste saw, was rising and
falling with some powerful emotion.

"That's all, Pamela," David Cooper said softly. "You can go now."

She stood up, looking like a woman in a trance, and moved slowly toward
the door in the rear of the courtroom. Auguste turned in his seat to
watch her. She stopped before Raoul, who was sitting near the back. He
stared up at her as she pointed at him.

"How dare you call me a liar, Raoul de Marion! When it's you that lied
about what you told my husband. My husband never fired a gun before in
his life, and he had to stand up and be killed, because you took all the
men who could shoot away with you. I hope those papers ruin you."

Spots of red stood out on her cheeks. She covered her face with her hand
and rushed out of the courtroom.

"How come you didn't shut her up, Judge?" Raoul shouted after she was
gone.

"I figured she deserv