Evening star., 1925-03-22

l had an idea that we might get on
the track Of our American friend in
their records. Sure enough, l found
his chubby face smiling UP at me
from the 'rogues' portrait gallery
James Winter, alias Morecroft, alias
Killer Evans was the inscription be-
low" Holmes drew an envelope from
his pocket. Il scribbled down a few
points from his dossier. Aged ~.
Native of Chicago known to have
shot three men in the States. Escaped
from penitentlary through political
! influence. Came to London in 1898.
Shot 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 Presbury, 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. /
| have been to the house agents. Our
| client, as he told us. has been there
| five years. 1t was unlet for year
| before then. The previous tenant was
a gentlepan at large named Wal
| dron. Waldron's appearance was we'll
remembered at the office. He had
suddenly vanished, and nothing more
has been heard Of him. He was a tall
| bearded man with very dark fea-
| lures. Now, Presbury, the man whom
Killer Evans had shot, was. accord
| ing TO Scotland Yard, a tall, dark
man with a beard. AS a working hy-
| pothesis, L think we may take 1t that
| Presbury, 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 draw
er and handed it to me.
| "I have my own little derringer
small. but effective. If our wild West
friend tries to live up to his nick
| give you an hour for siesta, Wat
son, and then 1 think it will be time
for our Ryder street adventure"
x X Y x
TT was just o'clock when we
reached the curious apartment OF
Nathan Garrideb. Mrs. Saunders, the
caretaker, was about to leave, bu,
she had no hesitation in admitting
us. for the door shut with a spring
| lock and Holmes promised to see tha,
all was safe before we left. Shortly
| afterward the outer door closed, hei
bonnet passed the bow window. and
we knew that we were alone in tn,
| lower floor of the house. Holmes
made a rapid examination of thu
premises. There was one cupboard ir
a dark corner which stood out 9
! 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 amiablt
friend out of his room, that is very
clear, and as the collector never went
out It took some planning to do Il
The whole of this Garrideb inventor
was apparently for no other end.
must say, watson, that there Is 9
certain devilish ingenuity about II
even If the queer name Of the tenant
could hardly have expected. He WOW,
his plot with remarkable cunning
"But what did he want?"
We'll, that is what we are here Il
find out. 1t has nothing whatever Il
do with our client, SO far as I car
read the situation. 1t is something
connected with the man he murdered
1.-THE man who may have been hi!
confederate in crime. There is som,
guilty secret in the room. That Il
how ] read it At first I thought oui
friend might have something in hi
lcollectioR more yaluahlA than h