"He hauled me in the parlor, and demanded that I let him look at the paper. I refused, and then he threatened me."
"And what happened after that?"
"He put his hand in my pocket and brought out a diamond ring. He said I had stolen it."
"Of course you hadn't, Nat?"
"I had never seen the ring before. But that wasn't the worst of it. He picked up a sea shell and hit me with it and knocked me senseless."
After that our hero told his story in detail, relating also what Rufus Cameron had said on assisting him to the street car. The real estate broker listened with keen interest.
"That man is a scoundrel!" he exclaimed, when Nat had concluded his story. "I pity Mrs. Parloe. He is doing his best to get all her money from her."
"It was a mean trick to say I took the ring," declared Nat.
"He did that thinking to get you in his power, my boy. Are you sure he didn't look at the document?"
"I can't say what he did while I was senseless, Mr. Garwell."