From Farm to Fortune; or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience
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CHAPTER XIV
NAT OBTAINS ANOTHER SITUATION
"How is it that you know so much about this man?" asked Nat, after hehad collected his thoughts.
"I am a police official from Chicago," answered one of the two men whohad tried to catch Hamilton Dart. "We have been on this rascal's trailfor some time."
"Is Hamilton Dart his real name?"
"No; his real name is Nick Smithers. He is a sly rogue."
"Do you think there is any chance of catching him?" asked Harry Bray. "Icannot afford to lose my money."
"Nor I," added our hero.
"I must have my money back!" groaned the sick man. "What will my sistersay? She got it out of the bank only yesterday!"
"I wish I could help you," said the Chicago police official. "We'll dowhat we can."
All went back to the office, and the janitor of the building was calledin.
"Sure, an' Mr. Dart has had the office only about a week," said thejanitor. "He hasn't paid the rent yet. He said he was in the habit ofpayin' in the middle of the month."
"Then the owner of this building is out of pocket, too," said one of themen from the West.
An examination was made of the desk used by the swindler, but nothing ofvalue was found. The letters and bills were of no consequence, and theblank books were not worth twenty-five cents each.
"Let us go to the police station," said the men, and they went off,followed by the sick man.
"This is the worst yet," remarked Nat, as he dropped into the one easychair of which the office boasted. "And I thought I was so smart. I'm aregular greeny, if ever there was one!" And he shook his head bitterly.
"I'm in the same boat," responded his fellow victim. "My father will bepretty mad when he hears of this. He lent me the money, and I assuredhim it would be perfectly safe."
"I used my own money, but it was almost the last dollar I had," said ourhero, soberly. At that moment his heart felt like a lump of lead in hisbosom.
"What do you suppose we can do about it?"
"I'm sure I don't know."
"Do you know where this Hamilton Dart, alias Nick Smithers, lived?"
"No."
"To look for him in a big city like this will be like looking for aneedle in a haystack."
"More than likely he won't stay in this city. He may be miles awayalready. He didn't want to see those men from Chicago."
They talked the matter over for an hour, at the end of which time adetective from headquarters came to interview them. The detective tookcharge of the office, and that seemed to be the end of the affair.
"Give me your addresses," said the detective to Nat and his fellowclerk. "If we hear anything we will let you know," and so it wasarranged.
Nat felt very much downcast when he arrived at his boarding house thatevening. Mrs. Talcott was not long in noticing it.
"You seem to be in trouble, Nat," said she kindly, for she had takenquite a fancy to the country lad. "Can I help you in any way?"
"I don't know," he answered, bluntly. "I've gone and made a big fool ofmyself."
"In what way?" asked she in astonishment.
"I thought I was smart, but I'm a regular country greeny. I let a manswindle me out of nearly every dollar I possessed."
"That is certainly too bad, Nat. How did it happen?"
For answer our hero made a clean breast of the whole matter. While hewas telling his tale, Dick came in, and he was likewise told.
"And you mean to say that you lost the whole hundred dollars!"ejaculated the newsboy. "That's awful, Nat!"
"I wish I could get hold of that Nick Smithers. I'd--I'd wring his neckfor him!"
"It won't do any good to look for him. I know his kind. He's here to-dayand gone to-morrow. Those chaps work their schemes all over the States."
Nat was in no humor to eat supper, and scarcely touched a mouthful. Mrs.Talcott and Dick did all they could to cheer him up.
"Make the best of it," said the newsboy. "You'll be sure to strikesomething good sooner or later."
"I guess I'm too much of a greeny to do that," answered Nat.
That night when our hero went to bed he could not sleep. His ready moneywas running low, and how to turn he did not know. Bitterly he upbraidedhimself for having trusted Nick Smithers, but this did no good. Hismoney was gone, and it was doubtful if he would ever see a cent of itagain.
"I ought to go back on the farm where I belong," he muttered. "I'm notsmart enough to get along in a city like New York."
But by morning his thoughts took a turn, and at breakfast his eyes wereas bright and expectant as ever.
"I'm going out and get something to do," he said firmly. "And I'm notgoing to let anybody get the best of me again."
"Do not worry," said Mrs. Talcott. "You can stay here, even if you don'tget anything right away. I'll trust you for the board."
"You are very kind," answered Nat, gratefully. "But I can't stand it todo nothing."
All of that day he tramped up one street and down another looking for asituation, but without success.
He could have had one job as an errand boy, but the wages offered werebut two dollars per week.
"I can't take that," he said. "I've got to support myself even if Ican't do better."
On the next day it rained, but he went out, nevertheless, with anumbrella which Mrs. Talcott loaned him.
He had several advertisements, taken from the morning papers, and lostno time in applying at first one place and then another.
The third place offered on his list was in a big office building downnear the corner of Broadway and Park Row. When Nat arrived there hefound half a dozen young fellows ahead of him.
"You will all have to wait until Mr. Garwell arrives," said a clerk tothe crowd. "I expect him any moment."
"Hope he don't keep us too long," grumbled one of those who werewaiting. "I don't want to lose the chance of another job if I can't getthis."
"You need not wait at all if you don't care to," said the clerk.
Two others came in, and the outer office was comfortably filled, when astout gentleman walked in quickly, and gave a glance around.
"Hum!" said he, when his eyes fell upon Nat, and he looked at our heromore closely. Nat at once recognized the newcomer as the gentleman hehad met on the Brooklyn Bridge.
"How are you, young man," said the gentleman.
"Very well, sir," answered Nat.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to see about the position that was advertised."
"Ah, indeed!" The gentleman gave Nat another look. "Come inside."
"Yes, sir," and our hero quickly followed him to an inner office. Herethe gentleman hung up his hat, and sank down in an easy chair at a desk."Take a seat. I suppose you remember meeting me?" This was said with alittle smile.
"Oh, yes, sir; on the bridge."
"You did me a good turn, and I've not forgotten it. So you want a job,eh? What's your name, and where are you from?"
Nat told him, and also told the gentleman some of his experiences sincearriving in the metropolis. John Garwell listened with interest.
"I fancy I can give you an opening," said he. "Here, write a few lineson this sheet of paper." Nat did so. "A very good hand. How much do youwant to start on?"
"Enough to support myself, Mr. Garwell."
"That's a fair answer. Can you live on seven dollars a week?"
"I can live on less than that."
"Some young men want a fortune to start on. Yesterday a young man calledhere for an opening. He had had no experience, yet he wanted not lessthan twenty dollars a week."
"I guess you didn't engage him," said Nat, with a smile.
"I did not. Well, I'll give you a trial, at seven dollars a week. If youprove satisfactory I'll give you eight dollars at the end of threemonths, and ten dollars at the end of the first year."
"Thank you, very much."
"You can go to work at once." Mr. Garwell touched a push-button on hisdesk, and a cle
rk appeared. "Wilson, this is the new clerk, Nat Nason.You can show him his duties. And tell those others that are waiting thatthe position is filled."
"Yes, sir."
"Wait a minute, Nason. Wilson, you can go."
The clerk disappeared, closing the door behind him.
"I just wished to say a word about what you did for me the other day."
"Oh, that's all right."
"Here is a five-dollar bill for a reward."
"But I don't want any reward, Mr. Garwell. It was nice of you to give methe position."
"Didn't you just own up that you were short of funds?"
"Yes, sir, but----"
"That's all right. Take the money. And now let me tell you something asa friend."
"Yes, sir."
"I like my clerks to look neat and clean at all times. It pays to lookthat way. Never come down to the office with a dirty collar, or withdirty shoes."
"I'll remember that."
"I don't ask you to dress in the topmost style, or be a dude. But keepyourself neat and clean."
"I will, sir."
"Then that is all. If anything doesn't go right in the office don'thesitate to let me know."