No. 6 The Adventure of the Three Garridebs by Arthur Conan Doyle
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the room was as curious as its occupant . it looked like a small museum . it_was both broad and deep, with cupboards and cabinets all round, crowded with specimens, geological and anatomical .Cases of butterflies and moths flanked each side of_the entrance .a large table in_the centre was littered with all sorts of debris, while the tall brass tube of a powerful microscope bristled up among them . as I glanced round i_was surprised at_the universality of_the man's interests . here was a case of ancient coins . there_was a cabinet of flint instruments . behind his central table was a large cupboard of fossil bones . above was a line of plaster skulls with_such names as "Neanderthal," "Heidelberg," "Cro-Magnon" printed beneath them . it_was clear that he_was a student of many subjects . as he stood in front of us now, he held a piece of chamois leather in_his right hand with_which he_was polishing a coin .

"Syracusan -- of_the best period," he explained, holding it up ." they degenerated greatly towards the end . at their best I hold them supreme, though some prefer the Alexandrian school . you_will_find a chair here, Mr Holmes . pray allow me to clear these bones . and you, sir -- ah, yes, Dr .Watson -- if_you_would_have the goodness to_put the Japanese vase to one side . you_see round me my little interests in life . my doctor lectures me about never going out, but why should I go out when I_have so_much to hold me here ? I_can assure you that_the adequate cataloguing of one of_those cabinets would take me three good months ."

Holmes looked round him with curiosity .

" but do_you tell me that you never go out ? " he_said .

" now and again I drive down to Sotheby's or Christie's . otherwise I very seldom leave my room . I_am not too strong, and my researches are very absorbing . but you_can imagine, Mr Holmes, what a terrific shock -- pleasant but terrific -- it_was for_me when I heard of_this unparalleled good fortune . it only needs one more Garrideb to complete the matter, and surely we_can find one .I had a brother, but he_is dead, and female relatives are disqualified . but there must surely be others in_the_world .I had heard that you handled strange cases, and_that was why I_sent to_you . of_course, this American gentleman is quite right, and i_should_have taken his advice first, but I acted for_the best ."

" i_think you acted very wisely indeed," said Holmes ." but are_you really anxious to acquire an estate in America ? "

" certainly not, sir . nothing would induce me to leave my collection . but this gentleman has assured me that he_will buy me out as_soon_as we_have established our claim .Five million dollars was_the sum named . there_are a dozen specimens in_the market at_the present moment which fill gaps in my collection, and which I_am unable to purchase for want of a few hundred pounds . just think what I_could do with five million dollars . why, I_have the nucleus of a national collection . I_shall_be the Hans Sloane of_my age ."

his eyes gleamed behind his great spectacles . it_was very clear that no pains would_be spared by_Mr Nathan Garrideb in finding a namesake .

"I merely called to_make your acquaintance, and there_is no reason why i_should interrupt your studies," said Holmes ."I prefer to establish personal touch with those with_whom I_do business . there_are few questions I_need ask, for I_have your very clear narrative in my pocket, and I filled up the blanks when_this American gentleman called .I understand that up to_this week you were unaware of_his existence ."

" that_is so . he_called last Tuesday ."

" did he tell you of_our interview to- day ? "

" yes, he_came straight back to_me . he had_been very angry ."

" why should he be angry ? "

" he_seemed to_think it_was some reflection on_his honour . but he_was quite cheerful again when he returned ."

" did he suggest any course of action ? "

" no, sir, he_did_not ."

" has he had, or asked for, any money from_you ? "

" no, sir, never ! "

" you_see no possible object he has in view ? "

" none, except what he states ."

" did you tell him of_our telephone appointment ? "

" yes, sir, I_did ."

Holmes was lost in thought .I could_see that he_was puzzled .

" have_you any articles of great value in your collection ? "

" no, sir . I_am not a rich man . it_is a good collection, but not a very valuable one ."

" you_have no fear of burglars ? "

" not the least ."

" how long have_you been in_these rooms ? "

" nearly five years ."

Holmes's cross- examination was interrupted by an imperative knocking at_the door . no sooner had our client unlatched it than_the American lawyer burst excitedly into_the room .

" here you_are ! " he cried, waving a paper over his head ." i_thought i_should_be in_time to_get you .Mr Nathan Garrideb, my congratulations ! you_are a rich man, sir . our business is happily finished and all is well . as to_you, Mr Holmes, we_can only say we_are sorry if_we_have given you any useless trouble ."

he handed over the paper to our client, who stood staring at a marked advertisement .Holmes and I leaned forward and read it over his shoulder . this_is how it ran:

Howard GARRIDEB CONSTRUCTOR of ACRICULTURAL machinery Binders, reapers, steam and hand plows, drills, harTows, farmer's carts, buckboards, and all other appliances .Estimates for Artesian Wells apply Grosvenor buildings, Aston

" glorious ! " gasped our host ." that makes our third man ."

"I had opened up inquiries in Birmingham," said the Americn, " and my agent there has sent me this advertisement from a local paper . we_must hustle and put the thing through . I_have written to_this man and told him that you_will_see him in_his office to- morrow afternoon at four o'clock ."

" you_want me to_see him ? "

" what do_you say, Mr Holmes ? Don't you_think it would_be wiser ? here am I, awandering American with a wonderful tale . why should he believe what I tell him ? but you_are a Britisher wth solid references, and he_is bound to_take notice of what you say . i_would go with_you if_you wished, but I_have a very busy day to- morrow, and I_could always follow you if_you_are in any trouble ."

" well, I_have_not made such a journey for years ."

" it_is nothing, Mr Garrideb . I_have figured out our connections . you leave at twelve and should_be there soon after two . then you_can_be back the same night . all you_have to_do is to_see this man, explain the matter, and get an affidavit of_his existence . by_the lord ! " he added hotly, "considering I've come all the way from_the centre of America, it_is surely little enough if_you go a hundred miles in_order to_put this_matter through ."

" quite so," said Holmes ." i_think what this gentleman says is very true ."

Mr Nathan Garrideb shrugged his shoulders with a disconsolate air ." well, if_you insist I_shall go," said he ." it_is certainly hard for_me to refuse you anything, considering the glory of hope_that you_have brought into my life ."

" then that_is agreed," said Holmes, " and no_doubt you_will let me have a report as_soon_as_you_can ."

"I'll see to_that," said the American ." well," he added looking at his watch, "I'll have to_get on .I'll call to- morrow, Mr Nathan, and_see you off to Birmingham .Coming my way, Mr Holmes ? well, then, good-bye, and we_may_have good news for_you to- morrow night ."

I noticed that my friend's face cleared when_the American left the room, and_the look of thoughtful perplexity had vanished .

" i_wish I_could look over your collection, Mr Garrideb," said he ." in my profession all sorts of odd knowledge comes useful, and this room of yours is a storehouse of it ."

our client shone with pleasure and_his eyes gleamed from behind his big glasses .

"I had always heard, sir, that you were a very intelligent man," said he ." I_could take you round now if_you_have the time ."

" unfortunately, I_have_not . but these specimens are so_well labelled and classified that_they hardly need your personal explanation . if i_should_be able to look in to- morrow, I presume that there would_be no objection to my glancing over them ? "

" none at all . you_are most welcome . the place will, of_course, be shut up, but Mrs Saunders is in_the basement up_to four o'clock and would let you in with her key ."

" well, I happen to_be clear to- morrow afternoon . if_you_would say a word to Mrs Saunders it would_be quite in_order . by_the_way, who_is your house- agent ? "

our client was amazed at_the sudden question .

"Holloway and Steele, in_the Edgware road . but why ? "

" I_am a bit of an archaeologist myself when it comes to houses," said Holmes, laughing ." i_was wondering if this_was queen Anne or Georgian ."

"Georgian, beyond doubt ."

" really . i_should_have thought a little earlier . however, it_is easily ascertained . well, good-bye, Mr Garrideb, and may you_have every success in your Birmingham journey ."

the house- agent's was close by, but we_found that_it_was closed for_the day, so we_made our way back to baker street . it_was not till after dinner that Holmes reverted to_the subject .

" our little problem draws to a close," said he ." no_doubt you_have outlined the solution in your own mind ."

" I_can make neither head nor tail of it ."

" the head is surely clear enough and_the tail we should_see to- morrow . did you notice nothing curious about_that advertisement ? "

" I_saw that_the word ' plough' was misspelt ."

"Oh, you_did notice that, did you ? come, Watson, you improve all the time . yes, it_was bad English but good American . the printer had set it up as received . then the buckboards . that_is American also . and artesian wells are commoner with_them than with_us . it_was a typical American advertisement, but purporting to_be from an English firm . what do_you make of_that ? "

" I_can only suppose that_this American lawyer put it in himself . what his object was I fail to understand ."

" well, there_are alternative explanations .Anyhow, he_wanted to_get this good old fossil up_to Birmingham . that_is very clear . I_might_have told him that he_was clearly going on a wild- goose chase, but, on second thoughts, it seemed better to clear the stage by letting him go . to- morrow, Watson -- well, to- morrow will speak for itself ."

Holmes was up and out early . when he returned at lunchtime I noticed that his face was very grave .

" this_is a more serious matter than I had expected, Watson," said he ." it_is fair to_tell you so, though I_know it_will only be an additional reason to_you for running your head into danger . i_should know my Watson by now . but there_is danger, and you_should know it ."

" well, it_is_not the first we_have shared, Holmes . I_hope it may not be the last . what_is the particular danger this_time ? "

" we_are up against a very hard case . I_have identified Mr John Garrideb, Counsellor at law . he_is none other_than ' killer' Evans, of sinister and murderous reputation ."

" I_fear I_am none the wiser ."

"Ah, it_is_not part of your profession to carry about a portable Newgate calendar in your memory . I_have_been down to_see friend Lestrade at_the yard . there_may_be an occasional want of imaginative intuition down there, but they lead the world for thoroughness and method .I had an idea that we_might get on_the track of_our American friend in their records . sure enough, I_found his chubby face smiling up at me from_the rogues' portrait gallery .'James winter, alias Morecroft, alias killer Evans,' was_the inscription below ." Holmes drew an envelope from_his pocket ."I scribbled down a few points from_his dossier: aged forty-four . native of Chicago . known to_have shot three men in_the States .Escaped from penitentiary through political influence . came to London in 1893 . shot a man over cards in a night- club in_the Waterloo road in January, 1895 . man died, but he_was shown to_have_been the aggressor in_the row . dead man was identified as Rodger Prescott, famous as forger and coiner in Chicago . killer Evans released in 1901 . has_been under police supervision since, but so_far as known has led an honest life . very dangerous man, usually carries arms and_is prepared to use them . that_is our bird, Watson -- asporting bird, as_you_must admit ."

" but what_is his game ? "

" well, it begins to define itself . I_have_been to_the houseagent's . our client, as he_told us, has_been there five years . it_was unlet for a year before then . the previous tenant was a gentleman at large named Waldron .Waldron's appearance was well remembered at_the office . he had suddenly vanished and nothing more been heard of him . he_was a tall, bearded man with very dark features . now, Prescott, the man whom killer Evans had shot, was, according to Scotland yard, a tall, dark man with a beard . as aworking hypothesis, i_think we_may take it that Prescott, the American criminal, used to live in_the very room which our innocent friend now devotes to_his museum . so at last we get a link, you_see ."

" and_the next link ? "

" well, we_must go now and look for_that ."

he_took a revolver from_the drawer and handed it to_me .

" I_have my old favourite with me . if our wild west friend tries to live up to_his nickname, we_must_be ready for him .I'll give_you an hour for a siesta, Watson, and then i_think it_will_be time for_our Ryder street adventure ."

it_was just four o'clock when we

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