New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-03-25

'sThe devil r' said Mansell, whether he really
believed himself to be in the presence Of the Evil
One or that the word was merely expressive Of
surprise, we know not
The stranger took the compliment, and ac-
knowiedglng it with bow, said, The tin box
of which you have been accused Of stealing, is
at the bottom of the river, and YOU will fin!
that have spoken no more than the truth
Mansell hesitated no longer, but accompanied
the stranger to the spot, and in few minutes
the box, sealed as when he last saw it, was
again in his possession. He looked from the
treasure to the stranger, and at last said, ssI
owe you more than life; for in regaining this,
| shall recover my good name, which has been
foully traduced.'
He was proceeding towards the shore when
the other cried:
'Stop, young gentleman not quite so fast ;
just fasten your cord to it, and replace it where
you found it if you please Edward started,
but the stranger continued Were you to take
that box back to your employer, think you that
you would produce any other on him conviction
than that finding your delinquency discovered,
you wished to secure impunity by restoring the
property: We must not only restore the
treasure, but convict the thief Hush ! hear
| a foot fall p As he spoke he took the box from
Edward, who now saw his meaning. fastened
| the cord to it, and it was again lowered to the
bottom of the river, and the cork on the other
end of the cord was swimming down with the
tide
''N Now follow me in silence whispered the
stranger, and the three retired and hid them
selves behind the huge trunk of the tree, whence
| by the Light of the moon they beheld figure
| approach the water, looking cautiously around
him
ssThat is the thief said the stranger, in a
low voice in Edwards ear stI saw him, last
night, throw something into the river, and
when he was gone, took the liberty of raising
| it up; when, expecting that he would return
and remove his booty, | replaced it, and had
been unsuccessfully watching the place just be-
fore | met you in the Hollow
BY this time the man had reached the river
brink, and after cropping for some time through
the water, he found the box, but started back
in astonishment on seeing a long cord attached
to it. His back was turned to the witnesses OF
the transaction, SO that Edward and the stranger
had got him securely by the collar before he
could make an attempt to escape. The surprise
OF Mansell and Kate may be more easily con-
celved than painted, when as the moonbeam fell
| on the face of the culprit, they recognized the
features of Van Buren, his fellow-clerk
Our limits will not allow of our saying more
than that Mansell's character was cleared
while Van Buren, whom Mason. for reasons
confined to his own bosom, refrained from prose
| cutting, quilted the town in merited disgrace
The stranger proved to be gentleman of large
landed property in the neighborhood, which hs
had now visited for the first time in many years
and having been interested in the young pai1
whom he had SO opportunely delivered from
tribulation, he subsequently appointed Mansel
his man Of business, and thus laid the founda
ton Of his prosperity. 1t is almost needless t.
add, that Kate, who had so long shared hi
heart became his wife, and shared his goot
fortune