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 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 a jemmy 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…