No. 6 The Adventure of the Three Garridebs by Arthur Conan Doyle
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we reached the curious apartment of Nathan Garrideb .Mrs Saunders, the caretaker, was about to leave, but she had no hesitation in admitting us, for_the door shut with a spring lock, and Holmes promised to_see that all was safe before we left . shortly afterwards the outer door closed, her bonnet passed the bow window, and we_knew that we were alone in_the lower floor of_the house .Holmes made a rapid examination of_the premises . there_was one cupboard in a dark corner which stood out a little from_the wall . it_was behind this that we eventually crouched while Holmes in a whisper outlined his intentions .

" he_wanted to_get our amiable friend out of_his room -- that_is very clear, and, as_the collector never went out, it took some planning to_do_it . the whole of_this Garrideb invention was apparently for no other end . I_must say, Watson, that_there_is a certain devilish ingenuity about_it, even if_the queer name of_the tenant did give him an opening which he_could hardly have expected . he wove his plot with remarkable cunning .

" but what did he want ? "

" well, that_is what we_are here to_find out . it has nothing whatever to_do with_our client, so_far as I_can read the situation . it_is something connected with_the man he murdered -- the man who_may have_been his confederate in crime . there_is some guilty secret in_the room . that_is how I_read it . at first i_thought our friend might_have something in_his collection more valuable than he_knew -- something worth the attention of a big criminal . but the fact that Rodger Prescott of evil memory inhabited these rooms points to some deeper reason . well, Watson, we_can but possess our souls in patience and_see what the hour may bring ."

that hour was not long in striking . we crouched closer in_the shadow as_we heard the outer door open and shut . then came the sharp, metallic snap of a key, and_the American was in_the room . he closed the door softly behind him, took a sharp glance around him to_see that all was safe, threw off his overcoat, and walked up_to_the central table with_the brisk manner of one who knows exactly what he has_to do and how to_do_it . he pushed the table to one side, tore up the square of carpet on_which it rested, rolled it completely back, and then, drawing ajemmy from_his inside pocket, he knelt down and worked vigorously upon_the floor . presently we heard the sound of sliding boards, and an instant later a square had opened in_the planks . killer Evans struck a match, lit a stump of candle, and vanished from_our view .

clearly our moment had come .Holmes touched my wrist as a signal, and together we stole across to_the open trap- door . gently as_we moved, however, the old floor must_have creaked under our feet, for_the head of_our American, peering anxiously round, emerged suddenly from_the open space . his face turned upon us with a glare of baffled rage, which gradually softened into a rather shamefaced grin as he realized that two pistols were pointed at his head .

" well, well ! " said he coolly as he scrambled to_the surface ."I guess you_have_been one too many for_me, Mr Holmes . saw through my game, I suppose, and played me for a sucker from_the first . well, sir, I hand it to_you; you_have me beat and --"

in an instant he had whisked out a revolver from_his breast and had fired two shots . I_felt a sudden hot sear as_if a red- hot iron had_been pressed to my thigh . there_was a crash as Holmes's pistol came down on_the man's head .I had a vision of him sprawling upon_the floor with blood running down his face while Holmes rummaged him for weapons . then my friend's wiry arms were round me, and he_was leading me to a chair .

" you're not hurt, Watson ? for god's sake, say that you_are_not hurt ! "

it_was worth a wound -- it_was worth many wounds -- to_know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask . the clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and_the firm lips were shaking . for_the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as_well as of a great brain . all my years of humble but single- minded service culminated in_that moment of revelation .

" it's nothing, Holmes . it's amere scratch ."

he had ripped up my trousers with_his pocket- knife .

" you_are right," he cried with an immense sigh of relief ." it_is quite superficial ." his face set like flint as he glared at our prisoner, who was sitting up with adazed face ." by_the lord, it_is as_well for_you . if_you had killed Watson, you_would_not_have got out of_this room alive . now, sir, what have_you to_say for_yourself ? "

he had nothing to_say for himself . he only sat and scowled .I leaned on Holmes's arm, and together we looked down into_the small cellar which had_been disclosed by_the secret flap . it_was still illuminated by_the candle which Evans had taken down with_him . our eyes fell upon a mass of rusted machinery, great rolls of paper, a litter of bottles, and, neatly arranged upon a small table, a number of neat little bundles .

"A printing press -- a counterfeiter's outfit," said Holmes .

" yes, sir," said our prisoner, staggering slowly to_his feet and then sinking into_the chair ." the greatest counterfeiter London ever saw . that's Prescott's machine, and those bundles on_the table are two thousand of Prescott's notes worth a hundred each and fit to_pass anywhere . help yourselves, gentlemen . call it a deal and let me beat it ."

Holmes laughed .

" we don't do things like that, Mr Evans . there_is no bolthole for_you in_this country . you shot this man Prescott, did you not ? "

" yes, sir, and got five years for_it, though it_was he who pulled on me .Five years -- when i_should_have had a medal the size of a soup plate . no living man could tell aPrescott from a bank of England, and if I hadn't put him out he_would_have flooded London with_them .I was_the only_one in_the_world who knew where he_made them . can_you wonder that i_wanted to_get to_the place ? and can_you wonder that when I_found this crazy boob of a bug- hunter with_the queer name squatting right on_the top of it, and never quitting his room, I had to_do_the best I_could to shift him ? maybe I would_have_been wiser if I had put him away . it would_have_been easy enough, but I'm a soft-hearted guy that_can't begin shooting unless the other man has a gun also . but say, Mr Holmes, what have I done wrong, anyhow ? I've not used this plant .I've not hurt this old stiff . where do_you get me ? "

" only attempted murder, so_far as I_can_see," said Holmes ." but that's not our job . they take that at_the next stage . what we wanted at present was just your sweet self . please give the yard a call, Watson . it won't be entirely unexpected ."

so those were the facts about killer Evans and_his remarkable invention of_the three Garridebs . we heard later that_our poor old friend never got over the shock of_his dissipated dreams . when his castle in_the air fell down, it buried him beneath the ruins . he_was last heard of at anursing- home in Brixton . it_was a glad day at_the yard when_the Prescott outfit was discovered, for, though they knew that_it existed, they had never been able, after_the death of_the man, to_find out where it_was .Evans had indeed done great service and caused several worthy C .I .D . men to sleep the sounder, for_the counterfeiter stands in a class by himself as a public danger . they_would willingly have subscribed to_that soup- plate medal of_which the criminal had spoken, but an unappreciative bench took a less favourable view, and_the killer returned to_those shades from_which he had just emerged .

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