“One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne,and we lay in wait for it and attacked it. There were six troopersand six of us, so it was a close thing, but we emptied four of theirsaddles at the first volley. Three of our boys were killed, however,before we got the swag. I put my pistol to the head of the wagondriver,who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the Lord that Ihad shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his wicked littleeyes fixed on my face, as though to remember every feature. Wegot away with the gold, became wealthy men, and made our wayover to England without being suspected. There I parted from myold pals and determined to settle down to a quiet and respectablelife. I bought this estate, which chanced to be in the market, andI set myself to do a little good with my money, to make up for theway in which I had earned it. I married, too, and though my wifedied young she left me my dear little Alice. Even when she wasjust a baby her wee hand seemed to lead me down the right pathas nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned over a new leafand did my best to make up for the past. All was going well whenMcCarthy laid his grip upon me.
“I had gone up to town about an investment, and I met him inRegent Street with hardly a coat to his back or a boot to his foot.
“ ‘Here we are, Jack,’ says he, touching me on the arm; ‘we’ll beas good as a family to you. There’s two of us, me and my son, andyou can have the keeping of us. If you don’t—it’s a fine, law-abidingcountry is England, and there’s always a policeman within hail.’
“Well, down they came to the west country, there was noshaking them off, and there they have lived rent free on mybest land ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, noforgetfulness; turn where I would, there was his cunning, grinningface at my elbow. It grew worse as Alice grew up, for he soon sawI was more afraid of her knowing my past than of the police.
Whatever he wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gavehim without question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked athing which I could not give. He asked for Alice.
“His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as Iwas known to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to himthat his lad should step into the whole property. But there I wasfirm. I would not have his cursed stock mixed with mine; not thatI had any dislike to the lad, but his blood was in him, and thatwas enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him todo his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between ourhouses to talk it over.
“When we went down there I found him talking with his son,so I smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should bealone. But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter inme seemed to come uppermost. He was urging his son to marrymy daughter with as little regard for what she might think as ifshe were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think thatI and all that I held most dear should be in the power of such aman as this. Could I not snap the bond? I was already a dying anda desperate man. Though clear of mind and fairly strong of limb,I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl!
Both could be saved if I could but silence that foul tongue. I did it,Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, I haveled a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl shouldbe entangled in the same meshes which held me was more than Icould suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction than ifhe had been some foul and venomous beast. His cry brought backhis son; but I had gained the cover of the wood, though I wasforced to go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in myflight. That is the true story, gentlemen, of all that occurred.”
“Well, it is not for me to judge you,” said Holmes as the old mansigned the statement which had been drawn out. “I pray that wemay never be exposed to such a temptation.”
“I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?”
“In view of your health, nothing. You are yourself aware thatyou will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher courtthan the Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy iscondemned I shall be forced to use it. If not, it shall never be seenby mortal eye; and your secret, whether you be alive or dead, shallbe safe with us.”
“Farewell, then,” said the old man solemnly. “Your owndeathbeds, when they come, will be the easier for the thought ofthe peace which you have given to mine.” Tottering and shaking inall his giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room.
“God help us!” said Holmes after a long silence. “Why does fateplay such tricks with poor, helpless worms? I never hear of such acase as this that I do not think of Baxter’s words, and say, ’there,but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.’?”
James McCarthy was acquitted at the Assizes on the strengthof a number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmesand submitted to the defending counsel. Old Turner lived forseven months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there isevery prospect that the son and daughter may come to live happilytogether in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon theirpast.
The Five Orange Pips
