"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."