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leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their `
`
habits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for `
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the lonely life of an English provincial town. His extreme love `
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of solitude in England suggests the idea that he was in fear of `
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someone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis `
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that it was fear of someone or something which drove him from `
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America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by `
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considering the formidable letters which were received by himself `
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and his successors. Did you remark the postmarks of those `
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letters?" `
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`
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"The first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and the `
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third from London." `
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`
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"From East London. What do you deduce from that?" `
`
`
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"They are all seaports. That the writer was on board of a ship." `
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`
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"Excellent. We have already a clue. There can be no doubt that `
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the probability--the strong probability--is that the writer was `
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on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the `
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case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and `
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its fulfilment, in Dundee it was only some three or four days. `
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Does that suggest anything?" `
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`
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"A greater distance to travel." `
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`
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"But the letter had also a greater distance to come." `
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`
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"Then I do not see the point." `
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`
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"There is at least a presumption that the vessel in which the man `
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or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always send `
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their singular warning or token before them when starting upon `
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their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign `
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when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a `
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steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. `
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But, as a matter of fact, seven weeks elapsed. I think that those `
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seven weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat which `
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brought the letter and the sailing vessel which brought the `
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writer." `
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`
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"It is possible." `
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`
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"More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadly `
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urgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to `
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caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which `
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it would take the senders to travel the distance. But this one `
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comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." `
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`
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"Good God!" I cried. "What can it mean, this relentless `
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persecution?" `
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`
`
"The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vital `
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importance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I think `
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that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. `
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A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way `
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as to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several in `
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it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. `
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Their papers they mean to have, be the holder of them who it may. `
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In this way you see K. K. K. ceases to be the initials of an `
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individual and becomes the badge of a society." `
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`
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"But of what society?" `
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`
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"Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and `
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sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" `
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`
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"I never have." `
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`
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Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it `
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is," said he presently: `
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`
`
"'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to `
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the sound produced by cocking a rifle. This terrible secret `
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society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the `
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Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local `
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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 terrorising of `
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the negro voters and the murdering and driving from the country `
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of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually `
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preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic `
`
but generally recognised shape--a sprig of oak-leaves in some `
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parts, melon seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving this `
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the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might `
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fly from the country. If he braved the matter out, death would `
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unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and `
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unforeseen manner. So perfect was the organisation of the `
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society, and so systematic its methods, that there is hardly a `
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case upon record where any man succeeded in braving it with `
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impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the `
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perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite `
`
of the efforts of the United States government and of the better `
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classes of the community in the South. Eventually, in the year `
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1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there have `
`
been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' `
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`
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"You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that `
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the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the `
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disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may `
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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 `
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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." `
`
`
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"Then the page we have seen--" `
`
`
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"Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent `
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the pips to A, B, and C'--that is, sent the society's warning to `
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them. Then there are successive entries that A and B cleared, or `
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left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a `
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sinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let `
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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 fellow-men." `
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`
`
`
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It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a `
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subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the `
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great city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came `
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down. `
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`
`
"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 `
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young Openshaw's." `
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`
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"What steps will you take?" I asked. `
`
`
`
"It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. `
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I may have to go down to Horsham, after all." `
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`
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"You will not go there first?" `
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`
`
"No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and the `
`
maid will bring up your coffee." `
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`
`
As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and `
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glanced my eye over it. It rested upon a heading which sent a `
`
chill to my heart. `
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`
`
"Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." `
`
`
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"Ah!" said he, laying down his cup, "I feared as much. How was it `
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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 `
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eventually recovered. It proved to be that of a young gentleman `
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whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his `
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pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham. `
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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." `
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`
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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 `
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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. `
`
`
`
"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!" `
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`
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"To the police?" `
`
`
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"No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may `
`
take the flies, but not before." `
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`
`
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 sideboard, `
`
and tearing a piece from the loaf he devoured it voraciously, `
`
washing it down with a long draught of water. `
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