been trying to get the land
for another party. It is a mixed-up affair, but I hoped the signing of
that paper would help to straighten out matters."

The real estate broker was as good as his word, but he was exceedingly
busy, and it was not until two in the afternoon that he could get away.
Then he went to Brooklyn, taking Nat with him.

"I would like to see Mr. Cameron," said he to the girl at Mrs. Parloe's
home.

"Mr. Cameron has gone away, sir," was the unexpected answer.

"Do you know when he will be back?"

"I'll ask Mrs. Parloe," said the girl.

She went upstairs, leaving them in the parlor below. Soon she came back.

"He has gone out west, Mrs. Parloe says, and she doesn't expect him back
for two or three months."

"Gone west," cried Nat. "When did he go?"

"He went away about noon."

"Did he take any baggage?" asked John Garwell.

"Yes, sir, a dress-suit case, and he sent an expressman around for his
trunk, too."

"Then I won't bother you any more," said the real estate broker, and
left the house, followed by Nat.

"Don't you want to ask Mrs. Parloe about this?" queried our hero.

"It would be useless to do so, Nat. It would only upset the old lady."

"She might be able to tell us just where her nephew had gone to?"

"It is not likely. He intends to keep out of the way, that is certain."

"Maybe he didn't go west at all!" said our hero, suddenly.

"Such a thing is possible."

"Did you say he was in league with this other real estate broker?"

"I don't know about that, although I know he and this Shanley are
friends."

"I wonder if it wouldn't be a good idea for me to watch around this
Shanley's office for him?"

"Ha! That is an idea." John Garwell smiled broadly. "Nat, you are
growing clever."

"Even if I couldn't get the paper, I could prove that he had not gone
west, as he told his aunt, and I could follow him, and find out where he
was stopping."

"Well, you can do the watching if you wish. I will give you Andrew V.
Shanley's address. His place of business is between here and the
Bridge."

"Shall I go there at once?"

"If you wish."

The address was written on a slip of paper, and a little later Nat and
his employer separated. John Garwell gazed after our hero curiously.

"He is improving wonderfully," he mused. "He isn't half as green as when
I first met him."

Nat had been told what car to take, and ten minutes sufficed to bring
him to the block upon which Andrew Sha