The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1837-08-04

iFM moments he was struck dumb
with amazemenL However. ~ recov-
cred himself. and deeming !. pruden, NOT
TO helrsy the discovery he had made, he
displayed his rings; several we're selected.
and their price amounted 20 about sig
thousand francs. ..mm. +
y y large sum of money for poor
ruined man." said NJ. r. "IhsVe
not ready cash sufficient tn sei,le Lhe
whole amount. aud shall Be Obliged IL
you will take IN payment this curious old
snuli box. which j. Of great value"
Tie asked for his dressing case, and,
opening y. took gu, an oeIsgan-shaped
china snuff box, ornamsnisd with zen mi
natures hy Clinehsleil, set In gold and
rubies. IL was perfectly unique. aud of
inesIlmsble value. On behoIdIng IL. the
Jewelier well nigh betrayed hImselE--
The snna box which NJ. - present.
ed 10 him was one which had been stolen
from hun few days before The robbery
81 his dlamonds. The box was too &C.
mafkable 10 admit OF the possibility Of
mistake. Besides II had a secret spring,
by means Of which all the miniatures
could he taken out af their selIings. and
on the reyeTses we're painted similar sub.
Jeels. hut treated 10 the style Of indelica-
ey peculiar 10 the age IL Louis XIV. THIS
circumstance was important IN proof of
his elalm 70 lhe possession Of the box.
Whea NJ F. asked him % set a val
ue 90 II, he said with hes,taiion:--
=" consider il worth more Than City
thousand francs"
Fifty Ihansand francs!" exclaimed NJ.
T.; d" thought il valuable. but this Ear
exceeds my estimation Oft"
" SIR" resumed the jeweller. 3" | will
not relrac, what have said. am an
expert dealer. and To me j, nav possibly
be- worth far mere than the sum have
fixed will make this proposition t. you:
YOU shall take the rings you have select
ed, and you shall put the box under an
envelope sla'lng II tn be my property; and
II II does not bring more than tilly thou
sand francs. you shall have my rings for
morning."
VI. = vas completely blinded by
this deep laId scheme, He was a COED
cnnunIsseur Of objecls nf rirtu. and he
was not liile grantied 10 find his box
50 oseryalued. and to be enabled TO obtain
the rings without opening his purse The
most exi gsera,ed valuation Of the snuff
box would scarcely have exceeded seven
or eight thousand francs. tie sent for
two Of his neighhors. one al whom was
notary. and the matter was arranged con-
formally with the Jewellrr's pt'pn.lllon.
This being done. the invalid said;
4" Who will tix the prlre ~ ,he hnx!"
You, sir" eool!y re, ire. ~" Jewell
Ter.
Me, you are jesting"
d" assure you. sir, am 4 lie serious.
would willingly lay good wager rhat
YOU value the box at five hundred thou
sand francs"
NJ p directed at the two Witness
es look winch seemed to say, the man
is mad; but the jeweller added
"Y0u will value II al ihaI price. ]
an reriain you VIII. Blu, first of all |
have 10 acquaInr you with a circumstance
connected with ihls box. which will ell
able you To perceive its real value.
NJ =. full Of curiosity aud ankle
~. Consented to hear the jewellers COM
munication in private The two neigh
bours. taking the box with them, adjourn-
ed the drawing-room; aud NJ. =
and the jeweller being left alone, the lat
ter said
"Sir. il is now about sixteen years
ago since that suif box was stolen from
me, and a short time alter, YOU robbed
me &c fifty thousand crowns worth OF dia-
monds, under the assumed name Of
Prince Gargarin. have now discover
ed ynu. My evidence relative 10 the rob-
berry is on record. You have declared
Tie suir box 10 be yours, and can prove
having purchased i, a, a public sale. |
knnw a secre, which will place the truth
Of my assertion beyond doubt. Now,
sir. tell me whether you are inclined 10
, defend yourself IN The criminal SUIT winch
| intend forthwith TO institute against
YOU"
Every word uttered by the jeweller
fell like a ,hunderbolt on the ears Of NJ.
r. Overwhelmed with the con-
scionsness Of his guilt, his imagination
pictured all the horrors of Imprisonment,
trial, sentence. and the scaffnld. He re-
1 aec,ed, and the ieweller said
SIR. give you five minutes 10 form
your determination"
At the expiration Of that interval, Nj.
r, in faliering voice, directed the
ieweller TO open drawer in which he
would find bitlets de banque for three
hundred thousand francs, payable at his
bankers that same day. This being done
the ieweIler called IN the witnesses.
Gentlemen" said he. Il have a,
length conceived NJ. r OF the real