"Is such as expect It ran, if I remember right, 'sent the pips to A, B, and C' -- , sent the society's warning Then successive entries that and B cleared, or left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, , sinister result for C Well, , Doctor, that let some light dark place, and I believe only chance young Openshaw has meantime is what told him nothing more said or to-night, so hand me over my violin try to forget for half an hour the miserable weather still more miserable ways fellowmen "

It had cleared morning, sun was shining with subdued brightness dim veil which hangs over the great city Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when down

" excuse me for not waiting ," said he; " , I foresee, very busy day before me in looking case of young Openshaw's "

"What steps take ? " I asked

" depend results first inquir- ies down to Horsham, after all "

" go there first ? "

"No, commence City Just ring the bell maid will bring up your coffee "

As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper table and glanced my eye over it It rested upon heading which sent chill to my heart

"Holmes," I cried, " too late "

"Ah ! " said he, laying down his cup, "I feared How done ? " He spoke calmly, but I that deeply moved

"My eye caught the name of Openshaw, heading 'Tragedy Near Waterloo Bridge ' account:

"Between nine and ten last night Police-Constable Cook, H Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard cry for help and splash water The night, however, was extremely dark and stormy, , help of several passers-by, quite impossible to effect rescue The alarm, however, was given, and, aid water-police, the body was eventually recovered It proved that of young gentleman whose name, as it appears from an envelope found pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham conjectured that been hurrying down to catch the last train from Waterloo Station, haste extreme darkness he missed his path and walked over the edge of small landing-places for river steamboats The body exhibited no traces of violence, and there deceased the victim of an unfortunate accident, which the effect of calling the attention authorities condition 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," at last " petty feeling, , but it hurts my pride It becomes personal matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, set my hand gang That come for help, away death -- ! " He sprang chair and paced room in uncontrollable agitation, with flush upon his sallow cheeks and nervous clasping and unclasping long thin hands Josef Friedrich, 1906

" cunning devils," he exclaimed at last "How could decoyed him down there ? The Embankment direct line station The bridge, , was too crowded, even night, for their purpose Well, Watson, see win long run going out now ! "

" police ? "

"No; my own police When spun the web flies, but not before "

All day engaged in my professional work, and late evening before I returned to Baker Street Sherlock Holmes come back yet nearly ten o'clock before he entered, looking pale and worn He walked side- board, and tearing piece loaf he devoured it vora- ciously, washing it down with long draught of water

" hungry," I remarked

"Starving It had escaped my memory nothing since breakfast "

"Nothing ? "

"Not bite I had no time of it "

"And how succeeded ? "

"Well "

" clue ? "

" them hollow hand Young Openshaw long remain unavenged Why, Watson, put their own devilish trade-mark upon them well thought of ! "

"What ? "

an orange cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he squeezed out the pips table five and thrust them into an envelope inside flap he wrote "S H for J 0 " Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain James Calhoun, Bark Lone Star, Savannah, Georgia "

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

"And who Captain Calhoun ? "

"The leader gang the others, but he first "

"How did you trace it, then ? "

large sheet of paper pocket, all covered with dates and names

" spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's regis- ters and files 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 , one, the Lone Star, instantly attracted my attention, since, although reported as having cleared from London, the name given to states Union "

"Texas, "

" not and am not sure which; but ship an American origin "

"What then ? "

"I searched the Dundee records, and when bark Lone Star was there in January, '85, my suspicion became certainty I then inquired vessels which lay at present port of London "

"Yes ? "

"The Lone Star had arrived here last week I went down Albert Dock and found that she taken down the river early tide , homeward bound to Savan- nah I wired to Gravesend and learned that she had passed , and wind is easterly that now past the Goodwins and not very far Isle of Wight "

" , then ? "

"Oh, my hand upon him He two mates, are as I learn, the only native-born Americans ship The others are Finns and Germans , also, were all three away ship last night I had it stevedore who loading their cargo that their sailing-ship reaches Savannah the mail-boat carried this letter, cable informed the police of Savannah three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon charge of murder "

ever flaw, however, best laid of human plans, 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 Lone Star of Savannah, but none ever reached us at last hear that somewhere far out Atlantic shattered stern-post boat was seen swinging trough of wave, letters "L S " carved upon it, is all which ever know fate Lone Star