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shoulder。 This is how it ran:





                    HOWARD GARRIDEB

          Constructor of Agricultural Machinery

  Binders; reapers; steam and hand plows; drills; harrows; farmers'

  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 American; 〃and

my agent there has sent me this advertisement from a local paper。 We

must bustle 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; a wandering American with a wonderful tale。 Why should he

believe what I tell him? But you are a Britisher with 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; he

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… a sporting bird; as you must admit。〃

  〃But what is his game?〃

  〃Well; it begins to define itself。 I have been to the house…agent'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 a working 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 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 inven

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