SHERLOCK　HOLMES
  THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　THREE　GARRIDEBS
  by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle
  It　may　have　been　a　comedy；　or　it　may　have　been　a　tragedy。　It　cost
  one　man　his　reason；　it　cost　me　a　blood…letting；　and　it　cost　yet
  another　man　the　penalties　of　the　law。　Yet　there　was　certainly　an
  element　of　comedy。　Well；　you　shall　judge　for　yourselves。
  I　remember　the　date　very　well；　for　it　was　in　the　same　month　that
  Holmes　refused　a　knighthood　for　services　which　may　perhaps　some　day　be
  described。　I　only　refer　to　the　matter　in　passing；　for　in　my　position
  of　partner　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　South　African　War。　Holmes　had　spent　several　days
  in　bed；　as　was　his　habit　from　time　to　time；　but　he　emerged　that
  morning　with　a　long　foolscap　document　in　his　hand　and　a　twinkle　of
  amusement　in　his　austere　gray　eyes。
  〃There　is　a　chance　for　you　to　make　some　money；　friend　Watson；〃
  said　he。　〃Have　you　ever　heard　the　name　of　Garrideb？〃
  I　admitted　that　I　had　not。
  〃Well；　if　you　can　lay　your　hand　upon　a　Garrideb；　there's　money　in
  it。〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃Ah；　that's　a　long　story…　rather　a　whimsical　one；　too。　I　don't　think
  in　all　our　explorations　of　human　complexities　we　have　ever　come　upon
  anything　more　singular。　The　fellow　will　be　here　presently　for
  cross…examination；　so　I　won't　open　the　matter　up　till　he　comes。　But；
  meanwhile；　that's　the　name　we　want。〃
  The　telephone　directory　lay　on　the　table　beside　me；　and　I　turned
  over　the　pages　in　a　rather　hopeless　quest。　But　to　my　amazement　there
  was　this　strange　name　in　its　due　place。　I　gave　a　cry　of　triumph。
  〃Here　you　are；　Holmes！　Here　it　is！〃
  Holmes　took　the　book　from　my　hand。
  〃'Garrideb；　N。；'〃　he　read；　136　Little　Ryder　Street；　W。'　Sorry　to
  disappoint　you；　my　dear　Watson；　but　this　is　the　man　himself。　That　is
  the　address　upon　his　letter。　We　want　another　to　match　him。〃
  Mrs。　Hudson　had　come　in　with　a　card　upon　a　tray。　I　took　it　up　and
  glanced　at　it。
  〃Why；　here　it　is！〃　I　cried　in　amazement。　〃This　is　a　different
  initial。　John　Garrideb；　Counsellor　at　Law；　Moorville；　Kansas；　U。S。A。〃
  Holmes　smiled　as　he　looked　at　the　card。　〃I　am　afraid　you　must　make
  yet　another　effort；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃This　gentleman　is　also　in　the
  plot　already；　though　I　certainly　did　not　expect　to　see　him　this
  morning。　However；　he　is　in　a　position　to　tell　us　a　good　deal　which　I
  want　to　know。〃
  A　moment　later　he　was　in　the　room。　Mr。　John　Garrideb；　Counsellor
  at　Law；　was　a　short；　powerful　man　with　the　round；　fresh；
  clean…shaven　face　characteristic　of　so　many　American　men　of　affairs。
  The　general　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　seen　a　pair　which　bespoke　a　more　intense　inward
  life；　so　bright　were　they；　so　alert；　so　responsive　to　every　change
  of　thought。　His　accent　was　American；　but　was　not　accompanied　by　any
  eccentricity　of　speech。
  〃Mr。　Holmes？〃　he　asked；　glancing　from　one　to　the　other。　〃Ah；　yes！
  Your　pictures　are　not　unlike　you；　sir；　if　I　may　say　so。　I　believe
  you　have　had　a　letter　from　my　namesake；　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb；　have
  you　not？〃
  〃Pray　sit　down；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃We　shall；　I　fancy；　have　a
  good　deal　to　discuss。〃　He　took　up　his　sheets　of　foolscap。　〃You　are；　of
  course；　the　Mr。　John　Garrideb　mentioned　in　this　document。　But　surely
  you　have　been　in　England　some　time？〃
  〃Why　do　you　say　that；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　I　seemed　to　read　sudden　suspicion
  in　those　expressive　eyes。
  〃Your　whole　outfit　is　English。〃
  Mr。　Garrideb　forced　a　laugh。　〃I've　read　of　your　tricks；　Mr。
  Holmes；　but　I　never　thought　I　would　be　the　subject　of　them。　Where　do
  you　read　that？〃
  〃The　shoulder　cut　of　your　coat；　the　toes　of　your　boots…　could　anyone
  doubt　it？〃
  〃Well；　well；　I　had　no　idea　I　was　so　obvious　a　Britisher。　But
  business　brought　me　over　where　some　time　ago；　and　so；　as　you　say；　my
  outfit　is　nearly　all　London。　However；　I　guess　your　time　is　of　value；
  and　we　did　not　meet　to　talk　about　the　cut　of　my　socks。　What　about
  getting　down　to　that　paper　you　hold　in　your　hand？〃
  Holmes　had　in　some　way　ruffled　our　visitor；　whose　chubby　face　had
  assumed　a　far　less　amiable　expression。
  〃Patience！　Patience；　Mr。　Garrideb！〃　said　my　friend　in　a　soothing
  voice。　〃Dr。　Watson　would　tell　you　that　these　little　digressions　of
  mine　sometimes　prove　in　the　end　to　have　some　bearing　on　the　matter。
  But　why　did　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb　not　come　with　you？〃
  〃Why　did　he　ever　drag　you　into　it　at　all？〃　asked　our　visitor　with
  a　sudden　outflame　of　anger。　〃What　in　thunder　had　you　to　do　with　it？
  Here　was　a　bit　of　professional　business　between　two　gentlemen；　and　one
  of　them　must　needs　call　in　a　detective！　I　saw　him　this　morning；　and　he
  told　me　this　fool…trick　he　had　played　me；　and　that's　why　I　am　here。
  But　I　feel　bad　about　it；　all　the　same。〃
  〃There　was　no　reflection　upon　you；　Mr。　Garrideb。　It　was　simply
  zeal　upon　his　part　to　gain　your　end…　an　end　which　is；　I　understand；
  equally　vital　for　both　of　you。　He　knew　that　I　had　means　of　getting
  information；　and；　therefore；　it　was　very　natural　that　he　should
  apply　to　me。〃
  Our　visitor's　angry　face　gradually　cleared。
  〃Well；　that　puts　it　different；〃　said　he。　〃When　I　went　to　see　him
  this　morning　and　he　told　me　he　had　sent　to　a　detective；　I　just　asked
  for　your　address　and　came　right　away。　I　don't　want　police　butting　into
  a　private　matter。　But　if　you　are　content　just　to　help　us　find　the　man；
  there　can　be　no　harm　in　that。〃
  〃Well；　that　is　just　how　it　stands；〃　said　Holmes。　〃And　now；　sir；
  since　you　are　here；　we　had　best　have　a　clear　account　from　your　own
  lips。　My　friend　here　knows　nothing　of　the　details。〃
  Mr。　Garrideb　surveyed　me　with　not　too　friendly　a　gaze。
  〃Need　he　know？〃　be　asked。
  〃We　usually　work　together。〃
  〃Well；　there's　no　reason　it　should　be　kept　a　secret。　I'll　give　you
  the　facts　as　short　as　I　can　make　them。　If　you　came　from　Kansas　I　would
  not　need　to　explain　to　you　who　Alexander　Hamilton　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　along　the　Arkansas　River；　west　of　Fort
  Dodge。　It's　grazing…land　and　lumber…land　and　arable…land　and
  mineralized　land；　and　just　every　sort　of　land　that　brings　dollars　to
  the　man　that　owns　it。
  He　had　no　kith　nor　kin…　or；　if　he　had；　I　never　heard　of　it。　But　he
  took　a　kind　of　pride　in　the　queerness　of　his　name。　That　was　what
  brought　us　together。　I　was　in　the　law　at　Topeka；　and　one　day　I　had　a
  visit　from　the　old　man；　and　he　was　tickled　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　hiking　round　the　world　in　search　of　Garridebs。　'None　the
  less；'　said　he；　'that　is　just　what　you　will　do　if　things　pan　out　as
  I　planned　them。'　I　thought　he　was　joking；　but　there　was　a　powerful　lot
  of　meaning　in　the　words；　as　I　was　soon　to　discover。
  〃For　he　died　within　a　year　of　saying　them；　and　he　left　a　will　behind
  him。　It　was　the　queerest　will　that　has　ever　been　filed　in　the　State　of
  Kansas。　His　property　was　divided　into　three　parts；　and　I　was　to　have
  one　on　condition　that　I　found　two　Garridebs　who　would　share　the
  remainder。　It's　five　million　dollars　for　each　if　it　is　a　cent；　but
  we　can't　lay　a　finger　on　it　until　we　all　three　stand　in　a　row。
  〃It　was　so　big　a　chance　that　I　just　let　my　legal　practice　slide
  and　I　set　forth　looking　for　Garridebs。　There　is　not　one　in　the
  United　States。　I　went　through　it；　sir；　with　a　fine…toothed　comb　and
  never　a　Garrideb　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　man；　like　myself；　with　some　women　relations；　but　no　men。
  It　says　three　adult　men　in　the　will。　So　you　see　we　still　have　a
  vacancy；　and　if　you　can　help　to　fill　it　we　will　be　very　ready　to　pay
  your　charges。〃
  〃Well；　Watson；〃　said　Holmes　with　a　smile；　〃I　said　it　was　rather
  whimsical；　did　I　not？　I　should　have　thought；　sir；　that　your　obvious
  way　was　to　advertise　in　the　agony　columns　of　the　papers。〃
  〃I　have　done　that；　Mr。　Holmes。　No　replies。〃
  〃Dear　me！　Well；　it　is　certainly　a　most　curious　little　problem。　I　may
  take　a　glance　at　it　in　my　leisure。　By　the　way；　it　is　curious　that
  you　should　have　come　from　Topeka。　I　used　to　have　a　correspondent…　he
  is　dead　now…　old　Dr。　Lysander　Starr；　who　was　mayor　in　1890。〃
  〃Good　old　Dr。　Starr！〃　said　our　visitor。　〃His　name　is　still　honoured。
  Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　suppose　all　we　can　do　is　to　report　to　you　and
  let　you　know　how　we　progress。　I　reckon　you　will　hear　within　a　day