n, it cost me a blood-letting, and it cost yet another man the penalties of the law

and confidant I am obliged to be particularly careful to avoid any indiscretion. I repeat, however, that this enables me to fix the date, which was the latter end of June, 1902, shortly after the conclusion of the

e money, friend Watson," said he. "Hav

ed that

our hand upon a Garride

hy

complexities we have ever come upon anything more singular. The fellow will be here presently for cro

ver the pages in a rather hopeless quest. But to my amazement ther

re, Holmes!

the book f

to disappoint you, my dear Watson, but this is the man himself. T

th a card upon a tray. I t

is is a different initial. John Garrideb, Co

" said he. "This gentleman is also in the plot already, though I certainly did not expect to s

effect was chubby and rather childlike, so that one received the impression of quite a young man with a broad set smile upon his face. His eyes, however, were arresting. Seldom in any human head have I s

r pictures are not unlike you, sir, if I may say so. I believe you ha

iscuss." He took up his sheets of foolscap. "You are, of course, the Mr. John Ga

s?" I seemed to read sudden sus

e outfit i

tricks, Mr. Holmes, but I never thought I would

coat, the toes of your boo

, and so, as you say, my outfit is nearly all London. However, I guess your time is of value, and we did

visitor, whose chubby face had as

would tell you that these little digressions of mine sometimes prove in the end to

th it? Here was a bit of professional business between two gentlemen, and one of them must needs call in a detective! I saw him

ur end - an end which is, I understand, equally vital for both of you. He knew that I had me

angry face gra

nt to a detective, I just asked for your address and came right away. I don't want police butting into

ir, since you are here, we had best have a clear account fro

yed me with not to

know?"

ly work t

ton Garrideb was. He made his money in real estate, and afterwards in the wheat pit at Chicago, but he spent it in buying up as much land as would make one of your counties, lying alon

kled to death to meet another man with his own name. It was his pet fad, and he was dead set to find out if there were any more Garridebs in the world. 'Find me another!' said he. I told him I was a busy man and could not spend my life hikin

ate of Kansas. His property was divided into three parts and I was to have one on condition that I found two Garridebs who would shar

arrideb could I catch. Then I tried the old country. Sure enough there was the name in the London telephone directory. I went after him two days ago and explained the whole matter to him. But he is a lone

whimsical, did I not? I should have thought, sir, that your ob

hat, Mr. Holme

in my leisure. By the way, it is curious that you should have come from Topeka. I used

I suppose all we can do is to report to you and let you know how we progress. I reckon

he sat for some time with a

I asked

g, Watson - ju

wh

his pipe f

document and by his own account he is a provincial American lately landed in London. There have been no advertisements in the agony columns. You know that I miss nothing there. They are my favourite covert for putting up a bird, and I would never have overlooked such a cock pheasant as that. I never knew a Dr. Lysander Starr, of Topeka. Touch him where you would he was false. I thin

in, quavering voice at t

s Mr. Holmes there? I should very much

ument and I heard the us

me this evening? I suppose your namesake will not be there? . . . Very good, we will come then, for I would rather have a chat without him. . . . Dr. Watson will come with me. .

ng rays of the setting sun. The particular house to which we were directed was a large, old-fashioned, Early Georgian edifice, with a flat brick face broken only by two deep bay windows on the ground floor. It was on this

ting its discoloured surface. "It's his real

for us himself and apologized by saying that the woman in charge left at four o'clock. Mr. Nathan Garrideb proved to be a very tall, loosejointed, round-backed person, gaunt and bald, some sixty-odd years of age. He had a cadaverous face, with the dull

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 fo

ere, 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

round him wi

me that you never

c - 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

" said Holmes. "But are you really anx

e 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

It was very clear that no pains would be spare

ish 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 poc

He called l

ou of our inte

ght back to me. He

uld he b

ection on his honour. But he was qui

est any cour

r, he d

asked for, any

sir,

ssible object

ept what h

m of our telepho

sir, I

hought. I could see

les of great value

n. It is a good collection,

no fear of

the l

e you been in

y five

e knocking at the door. No sooner had our client unlatched

Nathan Garrideb, my congratulations! You are a rich man, sir. Our business is happily finished and all

ing at a marked advertisement. Holmes and I leaned for

D GAR

OF AGRICULTU

ws, drills, harrows, farmer's carts,

for Arte

venor Buil

our host. "That m

is advertisement from a local paper. We must hustle and put the thing through. I have written to

t me to

ld 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

t made such a jo

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, "cons

"I think what this gent

f you insist I shall go," said he. "It is certainly hard for me to refuse yo

s, "and no doubt you will let me

to get on. I'll call to-morrow, Mr. Nathan, and see you off to Birmingham. Coming my wa

hen the American left the room, and the l

said he. "In my profession all sorts of odd knowledge co

sure and his eyes gleamed

very intelligent man," said he. "I could

ed that they hardly need your personal explanation. If I should be able to look i

course, be shut up, but Mrs. Saunders is in the basemen

you would say a word to Mrs. Saunders it would be

amazed at the s

ele, in the Edgwa

comes to houses," said Holmes, laughing. "I was

n, beyon

it is easily ascertained. Well, good-bye, Mr. Garrideb,

ed for the day, so we made our way back to Baker Street. It w

e," said he. "No doubt you have out

either head n

ail we should see to-morrow. Did you notic

e word 'plough

printer had set it up as received. Then the buckboards. That is American also. And artesian wells are commoner with them t

can lawyer put it in himself. What

is very clear. I might have told him that he was clearly going on a wild-goose chase, but, on second thoughts, i

n he returned at lunchtime I not

you so, though I know it will only be an additional reason to you for running your head

, Holmes. I hope it may not be the last.

r. John Garrideb, Counsellor at Law. He is none other th

am none

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

at is h

ance 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

he nex

t go now and

from the drawer a

to his nickname, we must be ready for him. I'll give you an hour for a sies

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

. 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

at did

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 attenti

l 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,

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 turne

en one too many for me, Mr. Holmes. Saw through my game, I suppose, and played me

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 b

n? For God's sake, say

lear, 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 gr

Holmes. It's

my trousers with

s he glared at our prisoner, who was sitting up with a dazed face. "By the Lord, it is as well for you. If you

h 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 ma

a counterfeiter's

rfeiter London ever saw. That's Prescott's machine, and those bundles on the table are two thousand of Prescott's

s lau

here is no bolthole for you in this country

he 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 wou

ob. They take that at the next stage. What we wanted at present was just your sw

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