The true northerner., 1875-03-05

iiluSi uS tiiSy No'uo w seSpAs' 3A9ti AA1ssh7
ruption.
n Mansell retunied, and lingtred on the
skirts of tile grove, until the sound of a
light footstep on the beaten path which
led 10 the place announced the approach
of the loved being whom he felt he was
about to meet for the last time. The
poor girl could not speak word when
they met, but bowing her head upon his
shoulder, burst into flood Of passionate
tears. BY degrees she became more calm,
and then detailed to him conversation
she had overheard between Burton and
her uncle and gathered thence that the
former had succeeded in convincing Mr..
Mason of Edwards guilt, by combina-
ton of facts which would have made out
a strong case against the accused-the
mostformidable one being the finding Of
n large sum of specie in Mansell's trunk.
Knowing that he could not satisfactorily
account for the possession of this money,
without the evidence of near relative
who had departed for the continent
week before, and whose address was un-
known and return uncertain, Edward, to
avoid the horror and disgrace of lying III
the county gaol in the intermediate time,
resolved on evading the officers of justice,
until he could surrender himself with the
proofs of his innocence in his hands.
! The moon had now risen above the hill
which bound the prospect, and warned
the lovers that it was time 10 separate.
"And now, dearest" said he, "I
leave you with the brand of thief upon
my fair name, to be hunted like beast
of prey from one hiding-place to an
other. But, oh, Kate, L bear with me
the blest assurance that one being, and
that being the best loved of my heart,
knows me to be innocent /; and that
thought shall comfort me-.
g A remarkably pretty speech, and
well delivered ?" exclaimed a voice which
caused the youthful pair to start and
turn their eyes in the direction whence it
proceeded, when from behind solitary
tree that grew i'll the Hollow, tall fig
uue, wrapped in an ample cloak, walked
toward them.
The place, as we have before said, had
an evil reputation ; and although Ed
ward and his companion were, Of course,
free from the superstitious fears which
characterized the country people, an
undefinable feeling stole over them,
as they gazed on the tall form before
them.
Mansell, however, soon recovered him.
self and told the stranger that, whoever
| it was, it i'll became him to overhear con-
versation that was not intended for other
ears than their own. .o9a
"Nay," was the rejoinder "be not
angry with me. Perhaps you may have
reason to rejoice in my presence-since,
being i'll possession of the story of your
grief, it might be in my power to allevi-
ate it. L have assisted men in much
greater straits.
Edward did not like the last sentence,
nor the tone in which it was uttered but
he said, =" l see not how you can help
me you cannot give me clue by which
can find the box"
Yes here is q clue" replied the
other, as he held forth about three yards
of strong cord. Here is ~ line. Go
to the river, at point exactly opposite
the hollow oak ; wade out i'll straight
line until you find the box attach
one end of the cord to the box, and
the other to stout cork, but remove it
not yet. "
The devil ~ said Mansell
Whether he really believed himself to
be i'll the presence of the evil one, or
that the word was merely expressive Of
surprise, we know not.
The stranger took the compliment, and
acknowledging it with bow, said "The
tin box which you have been accused
of stealing, is at the bottom of the river,
and you will find that have spoken no
more than the truth. +"
Mansell hesitated no longer, but ac-
cOmpanied the stranger TO the spot, and
in few minutes the box, sealed as when
he last saw it, was again in his posses |
sion. He looked from the treasure to
the stranger, and at last said, :" owe
you more than life, for, in regaining
this, / shall recover my good name,
which has been foully traduced
He was proceeding toward the shore,
when the other cried, "Stop, young
gentleman Not quite so fast. just
fasten your cord to it, and replace it /
whore You found it, if you please" Ed /
ward started, but the stranger continued,
We're you to take that box back to .
your employer, think you that You would
produce any other effect on him than /
the conviction that, finding your de
lnQuency discovered, you wished to .
secure impunity by restoring property
We must not only restore the treasure,
but convict the thief. Hush! hear a !
football.
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 tire river, and /
the cork on the other end Of the cord 4
was swimming down with the tide.
"Now follow me in silence" whis- I
pered the stranger and the three re-
tired, and hid themselves behind the .
huge trunk of the tree, whence by the !
light of the moon they beheld a figure
the water, looking cautiously
around.
"That is the thief, said the stranger,
in low voice, i'll Edwards ear. CT |
saw him last night throw something into .
the river, and when he WIS gone, took |
the liberty of raising it UP when, ex-
pecting that he would return and remove !
his booty, replaced it, and had been
unsuccessfully watching the jaee, just |