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1"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
2C'--that is, sent the society's warning to them. Then there are successive entries that A and B cleared, or left the
3country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a sinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let
4some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only chance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I
5have 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
6forget for half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable ways of our fellow men." It had cleared in
7the morning, and the sun was shining with a subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the great city.
8Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came down. "You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I
9have, I foresee, a very busy day before me in looking into this case of young Openshaw's." "What steps will you take?" I
10asked. "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. I may have to go down to Horsham, after all."
11"You will not go there first?" "No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and the maid will bring up your
12coffee." As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and glanced my eye over it. It rested upon a
13heading which sent a chill to my heart. "Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." "Ah!" said he, laying down his cup, "I
14feared as much. How was it done?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved. "My eye caught the name of
15Openshaw, and the heading 'Tragedy Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: "'Between nine and ten last night
16Police-Constable Cook, of the H Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help and a splash in the water.
17The night, however, was extremely dark and stormy, so that, in spite of the help of several passers-by, it was quite
18impossible to effect a rescue. The alarm, however, was given, and, by the aid of the water-police, the body was
19eventually recovered. It proved to be that of a young gentleman whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was
20found in his pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham. It is conjectured that he may have been
21hurrying down to catch the last train from Waterloo Station, and that in his haste and the extreme darkness he missed
22his path and walked over the edge of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body exhibited no traces
23of violence, and there can be no doubt that the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, which should
24have the effect of calling the attention of the authorities to the condition of the riverside landing-stages.'" We sat
25in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and shaken than I had ever seen him. "That hurts my pride, Watson,"
26he said at last. "It is a petty feeling, no doubt, but it hurts my pride. It becomes a personal matter with me now, and,
27if 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
28him away to his death--!" He sprang from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation, with a flush
29upon his sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping and unclasping of his long thin hands. "They must be cunning devils," he
30exclaimed at last. "How could they have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on the direct line to the station.
31The bridge, no doubt, was too crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, we shall see who will win
32in 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
33take the flies, but not before." All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in the evening before I
34returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes had not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before he entered, looking
35pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, and tearing a piece from the loaf he devoured it voraciously, washing it
36down with a long draught of water. "You are hungry," I remarked. "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing
37since breakfast." "Nothing?" "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." "And how have you succeeded?" "Well." "You have
38a clue?" "I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not long remain unavenged. Why, Watson, let us put
39their own devilish trade-mark upon them. It is well thought of!" "What do you mean?" He took an orange from the
40cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and thrust them into
41an envelope. On the inside of the flap he wrote "S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain James
42Calhoun, Barque Lone Star, Savannah, Georgia." "That will await him when he enters port," said he, chuckling. "It may
43give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." "And who is
44this Captain Calhoun?" "The leader of the gang. I shall have the others, but he first." "How did you trace it, then?" He
45took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with dates and names. "I have spent the whole day," said he,
46"over Lloyd's registers and files of the old papers, following the future career of every vessel which touched at
47Pondicherry in January and February in '83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were reported there during
48those months. Of these, one, the Lone Star, instantly attracted my attention, since, although it was reported as having
49cleared from London, the name is that which is given to one of the states of the Union." "Texas, I think." "I was not
50and am not sure which; but I knew that the ship must have an American origin." "What then?" "I searched the Dundee
51records, and when I found that the barque Lone Star was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a certainty. I then
52inquired as to the vessels which lay at present in the port of London." "Yes?" "The Lone Star had arrived here last
53week. I went down to the Albert Dock and found that she had been taken down the river by the early tide this morning,
54homeward bound to Savannah. I wired to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, and as the wind is
55easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." "What will you do,
56then?" "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship.
57The others are Finns and Germans. I know, also, that they were all three away from the ship last night. I had it from
58the stevedore who has been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship reaches Savannah the mail-boat will
59have carried this letter, and the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these three gentlemen are badly
60wanted here upon a charge of murder." There is ever a flaw, however, in the best laid of human plans, and the murderers
61of John Openshaw were never to receive the orange pips which would show them that another, as cunning and as resolute as
62themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very severe were the equinoctial gales that year. We waited long for
63news of the Lone Star of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic
64a shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and
65that is all which we shall ever know of the fate of the Lone Star.
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