From Farm to Fortune; or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience by Jr. Horatio Alger (great books of all time .TXT) 📕

word I say."

"You'll have to come along," said the officer.

"All right, I'll go," answered Nick Smithers, but an instant later he started to run away through the crowd. Nat, however, was on guard, and putting out a foot, he sent the rascal pitching headlong on the depot platform.

"Hi! what did you do that for?" demanded Nick Smithers, on arising. And he glared at our hero as if to eat him up.

"You'll come along with me!" came angrily from the policeman, and without more ceremony he marched the swindler to the police station, with our hero following.

CHAPTER XXX NAT COMES INTO HIS OWN

Once at the police station, Nat made a charge against Nick Smithers, and then the swindler was asked what he had to say for himself.

"This is all a mistake," he said. "I am not the person."

"He is wanted in Chicago as well as in New York City," went on our hero.

In the meantime another officer had been looking up Nick Smithers' picture in the rogues' gallery.

"I don't think the young man is mistaken," he said. "Wait till I telephone to New York for more particulars."

This was done, and inside of an hour the rascal's identity was fully established. Then Nick Smithers broke down.

"It's all up with me, and I may as well confess," he said, scowling at Nat. "But I must say, I never thought a country boy would run me down."

"Well, you see, I am not quite as green as I used to be," answered Nat, with a faint smile.

"But you missed it by not coming to me on the quiet," went on Nick Smithers. "Had you done so, you might have gotten your hundred dollars back. As it is, you'll not get a cent."

"That remains to be seen," answered our hero.

When Nat could get away from the police station he hurried at once to the law offices of Messrs. Caswick & Sampson, as directed by Mr. Garwell.

"So you are the young man John Garwell telegraphed about," said Mr. Sampson, shaking hands. "I am glad to meet you. The business on hand concerns you personally as well as it concerns your employer."

"Concerns me?" ejaculated Nat, in wonder. "How is that?"

"I am interested in a piece of property located in New York City, near Central Park. By some papers which you turned over to Mr. Garwell it would seem that you are likewise interested in the land."

"Through my grandfather?"

"Yes."

"Then he really owned a share of the land?"

"He did, and so far as Mr. Garwell and I can ascertain he never sold out his claim."

"What is the claim worth?"

"You will have to ask Mr. Garwell about that. He wanted me to sign certain documents, and let you take them to New York to-night. Can you do that?"

"I think I can. But the police may wish to detain me." And then our hero told of the arrest of Nick Smithers. Mr. Sampson became interested, and in the end went to the station with Nat. He knew some of the officials, so our hero had no more trouble.

"We shall send the rascal to New York as soon as the officers down there want him," said one of the police officials; and, later on, this was done.

Not to lose time, our hero took the night train for the metropolis. He had a berth in the sleeper, but it was a long while before he could get to sleep. There were many things to think about, and the question of property near Central Park was an absorbing one.

Arriving in New York, he went to his boarding house for breakfast, and then hurried down to the office. It was not until ten o'clock that John Garwell appeared.

"Did you get the papers from Mr. Sampson?" was his employer's first question.

"Yes, sir."

"And fix up those matters at Springfield, too?"

"Yes, Mr. Garwell, and I did some other things, too," added Nat. "I had that rascal, Hamilton Dart, alias Nick Smithers, arrested."

"Is it possible! Tell me the particulars," and Nat did so. "We must do what we can to get your money back. This chap may have some property somewhere."

"Well, even if I don't get the money back, it's a satisfaction to put him where he belongs," said our hero.

"Perhaps you'll not be so anxious to get that hundred dollars after you've heard what I have to tell, Nat," went on John Garwell, with a quiet smile.

"What have you to tell, Mr. Garwell?"

"It's about that property in which your grandfather and your father were interested."

"Is there a share coming to me?"

"Yes."

"What is it worth?"

"That remains to be learned. The hotel folks want all that tract of land, as I told you. I shall advise you to hold out for sixty thousand dollars."

"Sixty thousand dollars!" gasped Nat, thinking he had not heard aright.

"Yes."

"Do you mean to say that you think my share in that property is worth sixty thousand dollars?"

"Either that or pretty close to it. I would not take a cent less than fifty-five thousand dollars."

"It's a—a fortune!"

"It certainly is a neat sum of money for any lad to fall heir to. I trust, if you do get it, that you invest it wisely."

"I'll do my best to do that, Mr. Garwell. But this—stumps me! Sixty thousand dollars! What will Uncle Abner say when he hears of it!"

"I'm afraid he will be a bit jealous. I'm jealous myself," added the real estate broker, with a twinkle in his eye.

"I know you are not," answered Nat, honestly. "Just the same, sir, if I get that money, you are going to have your full share for helping me get it."

"Well, I shan't object to my regular commission."

"And you are going to have more," added Nat, firmly.

"The way matters have turned out will make that Shanley of Brooklyn sick," continued John Garwell. "And it will make Rufus Cameron sick, too. The business will be transacted entirely through me, and they will not get a cent in commissions."

"Well, I'm glad to get back at Rufus Cameron," answered Nat. "I haven't forgotten how he treated me."

"His aunt will have nothing more to do with him. He has got to support himself."

"I hope it makes a man of him," said our hero.

The next three weeks were busy ones for Nat. He had to appear against Nick Smithers, who was brought to New York, tried, and sentenced to several years in prison. It was found that there was money coming to the swindler, and through this our hero and the others who had put up their money for positions with "Hamilton Dart," received what was coming to them.

"It was great of you to run him down," said the sick man to Nat. "This return of money will please my sister."

"And I am thankful too," added Harry Bray.

The day after Nick Smithers was convicted the deal concerning the property near Central Park was closed. It was shown that a part of the property really belonged to Nat, and the sum of sixty thousand dollars was eventually turned over to the youth for this. But this was not until he was of age.

"Nat's a rich man now," said Abner Balberry, when the youth became twenty-one. "He's got a reg'lar fortune."

"You shall have something of this, Uncle Abner," said our hero, and he gave his uncle five thousand dollars in cash. He also gave the same amount to John Garwell.

In the meantime our hero had stuck close to the real-estate business, and learned it thoroughly. He was still John Garwell's private clerk.

"Are you going to leave me, now you have your fortune?" questioned the real estate broker, anxiously.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No, indeed!"

"How would you like to take me in as a partner, Mr. Garwell?"

"I'd like it first-rate, Nat—in fact, I was going to mention that myself."

"Then let us form a partnership," and this was done without delay. The new firm, prospered from the very start, much to the satisfaction of all concerned.

In the meantime, Nat did not forget his old friends the Talcotts. Although he no longer lived with them, he visited them often. He learned through the widow that her son was anxious to buy out the store in which he worked. The price was twelve hundred dollars, and one day Nat bought it, and had the transfer made out in Dick's name.

"You deserve this, Dick," said he. "When I was a stranger and mighty green you did your best by me."

"Well, you've paid me back," said Dick, with a grin. "You're a gentleman, Nat, you are."

"And how about being green?"

"You're not green any more. You're as smart as they make 'em!"

Since then the years have rolled on. Nat is still in business and is doing well. He has married and settled down in New York City; and here we will leave him.

THE END

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End of Project Gutenberg's From Farm to Fortune, by Horatio Alger Jr.