No. 5 The Five Orange Pips by Arthur Conan Doyle
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a man should keep his little brain- attic stocked with all the furniture that he_is likely to use, and_the rest he_can put away in_the lumber- room of_his library, where he_can get it if he_wants it . now, for such a case as_the one which_has been submitted to_us to- night, we_need certainly to muster all our resources . kindly hand me down the letter K of_the American Encyclopaedia which stands upon_the shelf beside you . thank_you . now let_us consider the situation and_see what may_be deduced from_it . in_the first place, we_may start with a strong presumption that colonel Openshaw had some very strong REA- son for leaving America . men at his time of life do_not change all their habits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for_the lonely life of an English provincial town . his extreme love of solitude in England suggests the idea that he_was in fear of someone or something, so we_may assume as aworking hypothesis that_it_was fear of someone or something which drove him from America . as_to what it_was he feared, we_can only deduce that by considering the formidable letters which were received by himself and_his successors . did you remark the postmarks of_those letters ? "

" the first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and_the third from London ."

" from east London . what do_you deduce from_that ? "

" they_are all seaports . that_the writer was on board of a ship ."

" excellent . we_have already aclue . there can_be no_doubt that_the probability -- the strong probability -- is that_the writer was on board of a ship . and now let_us consider another point . in_the case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between_the threat and its fulfillment, in Dundee it_was only some three or four days .Does that suggest anything ? "

"A greater distance to travel ."

" but the letter had also a greater distance to_come ."

" then I_do_not_see the point ."

" there_is at_least a presumption that_the vessel in_which_the man or men are is asailing- ship . it looks as if_they always seni their singular warning or token before them when starting upon their mission . you_see how quickly the deed followed the sign when it came from Dundee . if_they had come from Pondicherry in a steamer they_would_have arrived almost as_soon_as their letter . but, as a matter of fact, seven weeks elapsed . i_think that_those seven weeks represented the difference between_the mail- boat which brought the letter and_the sailing vessel which brought the writer ."

" it_is possible ."

" more than that . it_is probable . and now you_see the deadly urgency of_this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to caution . the blow has always fallen at_the end of_the time which it would take_the senders to travel the distance . but this_one comes from London, and therefore we_cannot count upon delay ."

" good god ! " I cried ." what can it mean, this relentless persecution ? "

" the papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vital importance to_the person or persons in_the sailing- ship . i_think that_it_is quite clear that there_must_be more than one_of_them .a single man could_not have carried out two deaths in_such_a_way as_to deceive a coroner's jury . there must_have been several in_it, and they_must_have been men of resource and determination . their papers they mean to_have, be the holder of_them who it may . in_this_way you_see K .K .K .ceases to_be the initials of an individual and becomes the badge of a society ."

" but of what society ? "

" have_you never --" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and sinking his voice --" have_you never heard of_the Ku Klux Klan ? "

"I never have ."

Holmes turned over the leaves of_the book upon his knee ." here it_is," said he presently:

"Ku Klux Klan .a name derived from_the fanciful resem- blance to_the sound produced by cocking a rifle . this terrible secret society was formed by some ex- confederate soldiers in_the southern states after_the civil war, and it rapidly formed local branches in different parts of_the country, notably in Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida . its power was used for political purposes, principally for_the terrorizing of_the Negro vot- ers and_the murdering and driving from_the country of_those who were opposed to its views . its outrages were usually preceded by awarning sent to_the marked man in some fantastic but generally recognized shape -- a sprig of oak-leaves in some parts, melon seeds or orange pips in others . on receiving this the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might fly from_the country . if he braved the matter out, death would unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and unforeseen manner . so perfect was_the organization of_the society, upon record where any man succeeded in braving it with impunity, or in_which any of_its outrages were traced home to_the perpetrators . for_some_years the organization flourished in_spite of_the efforts of_the United_States government and of_the better classes of_the community in_the south . eventually, in_the year 1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there_have been sporadic outbreaks of_the same sort since that date .

" you_will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, " that_the sudden breaking up of_the society was coincident with_the disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers . it may well have_been cause and effect . it_is no wonder that he and_his family have some_of_the more implacable spirits upon their track . you_can understand that_this register and diary may implicate some_of_the first men in_the south, and_that there_may_be many who_will_not sleep easy at night until it_is recovered ."

" then the page we_have seen --"

" is such as we_might expect . it ran, if I remember right, 'sent the pips to A, B, and C' -- that_is, sent the society's warning to_them . then there_are successive entries that a and B cleared, or left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I_fear, a sinister result for C . well, i_think, doctor, that we_may let some light into_this dark place, and I believe that_the only chance young Openshaw has in_the meantime is to_do what I_have told him . there_is nothing more to_be said or to_be_done to- night, so hand me over my violin and_let_us try to forget for half an hour the miserable weather and_the still more miserable ways of_our fellowmen ."

it had cleared in_the morning, and_the sun was shining with a subdued brightness through_the dim veil which hangs over the great city .Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I_came down .

" you_will excuse me for not waiting for_you," said he; " I_have, I foresee, a very busy day before me in looking into this_case of young Openshaw's ."

" what steps will_you take ? " I asked .

" it_will very_much depend upon_the results of_my first inquir- ies . I_may_have to_go down to Horsham, after all ."

" you_will_not go there first ? "

" no, I_shall commence with_the city . just ring the bell and_the maid will bring up your coffee ."

as I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from_the table and glanced my eye over it . it rested upon aheading which sent a chill to my heart .

"Holmes," I cried, " you_are too late ."

"Ah ! " said he, laying down his cup, "I feared as_much . how was_it done ? " he spoke calmly, but I could_see that he_was deeply moved .

" my eye caught the name of Openshaw, and_the heading ' tragedy near Waterloo bridge .' here_is_the account:

" between nine and ten last night police- constable Cook, of_the H division, on duty near Waterloo bridge, heard a cry for help and a splash in_the water . the night, however, was extremely dark and stormy, so_that, in_spite of_the help of several passers- by, it_was quite impossible to effect a rescue . the alarm, however, was given, and, by_the aid of_the water- police, the body was eventually recovered . it proved to_be that of a young gentleman whose name, as it appears from an envelope which_was found in_his pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham . it_is conjectured that he_may_have been hurrying down to catch the last train from Waterloo station, and_that in_his haste and_the extreme darkness he missed his path and walked over the edge of one_of_the small landing-places for river steamboats . the body exhibited no traces of violence, and there can_be no_doubt that_the deceased had_been the victim of an unfortunate accident, which should_have the effect of calling the attention of_the authorities to_the condition of_the riverside landing-stages ."

we sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and shaken than I had ever seen him .

" that hurts my pride, Watson," he_said at last ." it_is a petty feeling, no_doubt, but it hurts my pride . it becomes a personal matter with me now, and, if god sends me health, I_shall set my hand upon_this gang . that he_should come to_me for help, and_that i_should send_him away to_his death -- ! " he sprang from_his chair and paced about_the room in uncontrollable agitation, with a flush upon his sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping and unclasping of_his long thin hands .Josef Friedrich, 1906

" they_must_be cunning devils," he exclaimed at last ." how could they_have decoyed him down there ? the embankment is_not on_the direct line to_the station . the bridge, no_doubt, was too crowded, even on_such a night, for their purpose . well, Watson, we_shall see who_will win in_the long run . I_am going out now ! "

" to_the police ? "

" no; I_shall_be my own police . when I_have spun the web they_may take_the flies, but not before ."

all day i_was engaged in my professional work, and it_was late in_the evening before I returned to baker street .Sherlock Holmes had_not come back yet . it_was nearly ten o'clock before he entered, looking pale and worn . he walked up_to_the side- board, and tearing a piece from_the loaf he devoured it vora- ciously, washing it down with a long draught of water .

" you_are hungry," I remarked .

"Starving . it had escaped my memory . I_have_had nothing since breakfast ."

" nothing ? "

" not a bite .I had no time to_think of it ."

" and how have_you succeeded ? "

" well ."

" you_have aclue ? "

" I_have them in_the hollow of_my hand . young Openshaw shall_not long remain unavenged . why, Watson, let_us put their own devilish trade- mark upon them . it_is well thought of ! "

" what do_you_mean ? "

he_took an orange from_the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he squeezed out the pips upon_the table . of_these he_took five and thrust them into an envelope . on_the inside of_the flap he wrote "S .H . for J .0 ." then he sealed it and addressed it to " captain James Calhoun, bark lone star, Savannah, Georgia ."

" that_will await him when he enters port," said he, chuck- ling ." it may give him a sleepless night . he_will_find it as sure a precursor of_his fate as Openshaw did before him ."

" and who is_this captain Calhoun ? "

" the leader of_the gang . I_shall_have the others, but he first ."

" how did you trace it, then ? "

he_took a large sheet of paper from_his pocket, all covered with dates and names .

" I_have spent the whole day," said he, " over Lloyd's regis- ters and files of_the old papers, following the future career of every vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and Febru- ary in '83 . there were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were reported there during those months . of_these, one, the lone star, instantly attracted my attention, since, although it_was reported as having cleared from London, the name is_that which_is given to one_of_the states of_the Union ."

" Texas, i_think ."

" i_was not and am not sure which; but I_knew that_the ship must_have an American origin ."

" what then ? "

"I searched the Dundee records, and when I_found that_the bark lone star was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a certainty .I then inquired as_to_the vessels which lay at present in_the port of London ."

" yes ? "

" the lone star had arrived here last week .I went down to_the Albert dock and found that she had_been taken down the river by_the early tide this_morning, homeward bound to Savan- nah .I wired to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some_time_ago, and as_the wind is easterly I_have no_doubt that she_is now past the Goodwins and not very far from_the isle of wight ."

" what_will you_do, then ? "

"Oh, I_have my hand upon him . he and_the two mates, are as I learn, the only native- born Americans in_the ship . the others are Finns and Germans . I_know, also, that_they were all three away from_the ship last night .I had it from_the stevedore who has_been loading their cargo . by_the_time that their sailing- ship reaches Savannah the mail- boat will_have carried this letter, and_the cable will_have informed the police of Savannah that_these three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder ."

there_is ever a flaw, however, in_the best laid of human plans, and_the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the orange pips which would show them that another, as cunning and as resolute as themselves, was upon their track . very long and very severe were the equinoctial gales that year . we waited long for news of_the lone star of Savannah, but none ever reached us . we_did at last hear that somewhere far out in_the Atlantic a shattered stern- post of_the boat was seen swinging in_the trough of a wave, with_the letters "L .S ." carved upon it, and_that is all which we_shall ever know of_the fate of_the lone star .

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