CHAPTER XXIII
TOM NOLAN'S CONFESSION
A cry of horror went up from those who saw the mishap, and some womenpresent turned their heads away, expecting that the semi-intoxicatedindividual would be killed.
Nat's heart leaped into his throat, but he did not lose his presence ofmind. He was but a few feet from the man, and as quick as a flash hejumped forward, caught the fellow up, and dragged him out of harm's way.
"Wha--what yer doin'?" stammered the fellow, gazing unsteadily at ourhero.
"Do you want to be killed?" asked Nat, sharply.
"They won't--won't dare to kill me," said the fellow. "I'm a--a--goodcitizen."
"He ought to be locked up," said a man standing near.
"It was a brave deed," said one of the ladies.
"Who's goin' to lock me up?" demanded the tramp, for he was nothingless. And he began to show fight, at which the majority of the crowdturned away, and hurried to board the train. Nat hesitated for a second,and then concluded to let the train go on and take the next one.
"Say, you pulled me from the track, didn't you?" said the man, afteranother look at Nat.
"I did."
"Noble boy. I ought to reward you."
"I don't want any reward."
"Humph! Don't worry, my dear friend--Tom Nolan ain't got no money toreward you with." And the semi-drunken man indulged in a senselesschuckle.
"See here, haven't I met you before?" demanded Nat, looking at the manmore closely than ever.
"Maybe yer have, an' maybe yer haven't."
"Where do you come from?"
"Me? I'm an Ohio man, I am, and I ain't ashamed to own it. Ohio's bestState in the Union."
"So you are from Ohio. Were you ever in and around Brookville andCaswell?" went on our hero, suddenly.
"Sure. I spent two months in that district not very long ago. But I hadto git out, I did." And the tramp chuckled again.
"What made you get out?" And now Nat was all attention.
"Folks didn't like me around."
"Didn't you treat them fairly?"
"Sure I did, but they thought their barns was too good for Tom Nolan tosleep in."
"And that's why they chased you away, eh?"
"Thet's it, my young friend. It was this way--to tell the plain truth.One night I went to sleep in a barn with my pipe in my mouth. Fust thingI knowed some hay got afire. A man came runnin' to put the fire out, andI had to leg it to git away."
"Was that up between Caswell and Brookville?"
"You've struck it, but--but--what's this to you, anyway?" and now TomNolan began to look disturbed.
"It's a good deal to me. That was my uncle's barn, and I was accused ofsetting it on fire."
"Gee shoo! Yer don't say! Say, I've put my foot into it, ain't I?"
"You certainly have."
"But, say, honest, I--I didn't mean to set the shebang afire--not on mylife, I didn't."
"You were smoking, and fell asleep."
"Thet's the honest truth o' the matter, my young friend. I'm a tramp,an' down on my luck, but I ain't no barn burner, not me!"
"Well, you had better come with me," said Nat, decidedly.
"What are yer goin' to do?"
"I want a witness to what you just said."
"Goin' to have me--me locked up?"
"No, it's not worth it. I only want to prove to my uncle that I am notguilty, that's all."
The tramp followed Nat down into the street and then over to JohnGarwell's office.
"Why, what does this mean, Nat?" demanded his employer, in astonishment,for visits from tramps were unusual.
Our hero lost no time in telling his story.
"I want my uncle Abner to know that I am innocent, that's all," hecontinued. "It won't do any good to hold this chap, for the barn wasn'thurt much, anyway."
"I'll settle this," said Mr. Garwell, and called in a stenographer, whotook down what the tramp had to say. Then the confession wastypewritten, and Tom Nolan signed it, and John Garwell added hissignature as a witness.
"There, Nat, that is all right now," said the real estate broker. "Youcan send that to your uncle when you please, and we can keep a copy."
"This is all I want," said our hero to the tramp. "You may go now."
"Don't want no more o' me?" asked Tom Nolan.
"Nothing whatever."
"Say, ain't this confession good fer a quarter?"
"I'll give you a quarter if you'll promise not to spend it for drink."
"I'll promise," said the tramp, and Nat handed him twenty-five cents.Tom Nolan thanked him, and shuffled off; and that was the last our herosaw or heard of him.
"I'm sorry I lost so much time," said Nat to his employer. "But I wantedto square myself with Uncle Abner if I could."
"I don't blame you, Nat. I have no doubt it is a great worry off yourmind."
"It is. Now, Uncle Abner will know I told him the plain truth."
That night Nat wrote Abner Balberry a long letter, telling of hismeeting with the tramp. He enclosed the signed confession, and he hadthe letter registered, so that it might not get lost in the mails. A fewdays later came a reply, in which Nat's uncle said he remembered seeingthe tramp around on the day of the fire, and stating that he was verysorry that he had ever thought his nephew guilty.
Nat's work frequently took him out of town, and on one occasion he hadto go to Albany, a trip which he enjoyed thoroughly, as it gave him achance to visit the State Capitol.
"Nat," said John Garwell one day, "didn't you once tell me, that yourfather and grandfather had come from New York and Brooklyn?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was your grandfather ever interested in some property around CentralPark?"
"I don't know but what he was. But he got rid of his belongings, so Iwas told, when he moved away."
"Did you ever see any of the papers?"
"Yes, sir, some years ago. They were in a trunk up in my uncle Abner'sgarret."
"What was your grandfather's full name?"
"Chester Stout Nason. His mother was a Stout."
"And your father's full name?"
"William Henry Nason."
"Did he have any brothers?"
"No, sir--only a sister, who was Uncle Abner's first wife."
"I see. Are those papers still in the trunk you just mentioned?"
"They ought to be. They were packed away with some old accountbooks--bad debts, I once heard father call them. Father had an idea hecould collect some of the debts some day. But I guess they areoutlawed."
"More than likely. I'd like to see those papers regarding that land nearCentral Park."
"Why, Mr. Garwell? Do you think there is anything in it for me?" criedour hero, quickly.
"I'm not prepared to say that until I see the papers. I am looking upsix parcels of land, which a certain company want for the purpose ofputting up a big hotel. Some of the old deeds mention a Chester S. Nasonas holding a half-interest in one of the plots of ground--the interestbeing assigned to him in payment of a claim he had on one Maurice LeRoy.Did you ever hear of such a man?"
"No, sir."
"Well, supposing you get those papers for me, and let me examine them."
"Shall I send to Uncle Abner for them?"
"I think it might be better for you to go home and sort out the papersyourself. I'll explain just what I am after. Besides, if the papers arevaluable, you had better not trust them to the mails. I'll pay yourrailroad fares."
"All right, I'll go home for them whenever you say, Mr. Garwell. I hopethe papers do prove valuable," and Nat smiled broadly.
"Don't raise false hopes, Nat. There may be nothing in it. But there isnothing like being sure."
"Is the tract of land valuable?"
"Very. It is located in the most fashionable territory around CentralPark."
"When do you want me to go home?"
"You can start to-morrow if you wish. There is no rush of business onjust at present. I presume you will be b
ack within four or five days?"
"I'll come back as soon as possible."
"Take your time. A couple of days on the farm will do you good. It willbe like a touch of old times."
"That is true," answered Nat.
The opportunity to go back to the farm pleased him. He packed hisdress-suit case that night, and left on the ten-o'clock train in themorning. He was dressed in his best and had quite a city air about him.Certainly he could no longer be called a "greeny."
Nat spent the night at Cleveland, and took the train to Brookville inthe morning. Almost the first person he met in the town was Sam Price.
"Hullo, are you back?" cried the country boy, shaking hands.
"Back for a few days, Sam."
"You look fine, Nat."
"I feel fine. How are you getting along?"
"Pretty good. Life on the farm is rather slow. Somebody told me you weretired of the city."
"It isn't true, Sam."
"Fred Guff says he wants to go to the city, too, but his mother won'tlet him."
"I suppose Fred helps my uncle Abner?"
"Yes, but your uncle don't get along with him very well. Fred's too slowfor him."
Sam had driven to town with his buckboard, and he readily agreed to giveNat a ride over to Abner Balberry's farm. They were soon on the way, andless than an hour brought them in sight of the place.
"Some young man is coming, ma!" cried Fred, who was sitting on thedoorstep, munching an apple. "Sam Price is driving him."
"Wonder what he wants here?" said Mrs. Balberry, shading her eyes withher hands. "Mercy sakes! It's Nat!"
"Nat!" repeated the boy. "Huh! if it's him I guess he's sick of thecity. I thought he wouldn't make a go of it."
"Don't you be too sure of that," said the mother, shortly. "Nat has moreginger in him than you have."
By this time Nat was at the horseblock. He leaped off the buckboard,and advanced to greet Mrs. Balberry and her son.
"How do you do?" he cried, cheerily. "Aren't you surprised to see me?"
"I certainly am," answered Mrs. Balberry, as she shook hands.
"Got tired of the city, eh?" came from Fred. "I knew it wouldn't last."
"Do you think you could do anything in the city?" demanded our hero,sharply.
"Of course I could."
"It's hard work to get along in New York."
"I don't care--I wouldn't make a failure of it if I went. I guess youwasn't smart enough for them New Yorkers," added Fred, maliciously.
"What makes you think that, Fred?"
"If it wasn't so you wouldn't be back."
"Have you given up your place with Mr. Garwell?" asked Mrs. Balberry.
"No, I'm home on a vacation of a couple of days, that's all."
"Oh, then you are going back?" came from Fred, and his face fell.
"Certainly I am. I have a first-class position, with a promise ofadvancement, so it would be sheer foolishness for me to give it up."
"Ma said you were with a real estate man."
"Yes."
"That can't pay much."
"It pays very well."
"How much?"
"Ten dollars a week, at present. But I am to get more soon."
"You don't mean to say they pay you ten dollars a week," cried Fred.
"That is my regular salary."
"Then I'm going to the city to-morrow," said Fred, decidedly.