ve chase. "Stop him!"

The cry was taken up by several others, and all began to run after Nick
Smithers.

"Keep my valise--I'll catch him if I can!" said Nat, to the hotel clerk,
and off he sped, and was soon ahead of the others who had joined in the
chase.

If there was one thing that Nick Smithers could do well, it was to run,
and now he made the best possible use of his rather long legs. He darted
out of a side door of the hotel, down the square, and around a corner
leading into a back street lined with small shops and dwellings.

"The young fool!" he muttered, as he sped along. "Who would have dreamed
of his turning up in such a place as this?"

At last the swindler turned into another street. A car was passing and
he hopped aboard this. Not to be seen, he dropped into a seat and
crouched down. He rode on the car a distance of a dozen squares and then
left, and hurried to a small house setting far back, in a rather
neglected garden. The house was to let, and he pretended to be looking
it over, and thus passed to a back porch and out of sight.

Nat continued the hunt for the swindler for a good hour and then gave it
up.

"Well, how did you make out?" asked the hotel clerk, upon his return.

"He got away from me."

"He put on a pretty good front, if he was a swindler."

"Yes--that's how he came to swindle me and several others," answered our
hero.

"Did you report the case to the police?"

"There is no use of doing that."

"Why not? They'll help you all they can."

"That may be true. But by the time my report is in, that rascal will be
miles and miles away."

Nevertheless, Nat was persuaded to report to the city authorities before
he went to the railroad station. He had missed his train and so had to
lay over until three hours later.

This was fortunate for him, for a little later came a telegram from
John Garwell, which ran as follows:

"Go to Albany at once and get papers from Caswick & Sampson."

This made Nat change his plans, and he at once found out when a train
could be had for Albany. Half an hour later he was aboard of the cars,
little dreaming of the surprise in store for him.

CHAPTER XXVIII

A SUDDEN PROPOSAL

After the excitement of the chase was at an end, Nick Smithers had a
chance to think matters over, and he concluded to get out of Springfield
without delay.

He was much upset because of Nat's unexpected appearance, and the fact
that his satchel and belongin