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