lurched forward as before, and of a sudden fell sprawling
directly in front of the train.

CHAPTER XXIII

TOM NOLAN'S CONFESSION

A cry of horror went up from those who saw the mishap, and some women
present turned their heads away, expecting that the semi-intoxicated
individual would be killed.

Nat's heart leaped into his throat, but he did not lose his presence of
mind. He was but a few feet from the man, and as quick as a flash he
jumped forward, caught the fellow up, and dragged him out of harm's way.

"Wha--what yer doin'?" stammered the fellow, gazing unsteadily at our
hero.

"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--good
citizen."

"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 nothing
less. And he began to show fight, at which the majority of the crowd
turned 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, after
another 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 to
reward you with." And the semi-drunken man indulged in a senseless
chuckle.

"See here, haven't I met you before?" demanded Nat, looking at the man
more 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 best
State in the Union."

"So you are from Ohio. Were you ever in and around Brookville and
Caswell?" went on our hero, suddenly.

"Sure. I spent two months in that district not very long ago. But I had
to 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 to
sleep 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 thing
I knowed some hay got afire. A man came runnin' to put the fire out, and
I had to leg it to git away."

"Was that up betwee