A young man, John Openshaw asked Sherlock Holmes for help. He told the story of his uncle which after participating to the Civil War in the Confederates army went to settle in England. One day, he received a letter with five orange pips and only signature the initials K.K.K.. He died soon after. A few times later, John's father died all the same after a similar letter. Two years has passed since, and now John received the dreadful letter with instructions to deliver some documents. Holmes advise him to obey. Unfortunately, John is killed on his way home. Sherlock Holmes promised to avenge his later client. He succeed to identify the Ku Klux Klan members but too late, they all fled by sea. He later learnt that the criminals perished on sea with the boat.