CONTENTS: ALEXANDER PUSHKIN 1. The Queen of Spades ALGERNON BLACKWOOD: 2. Confession 3. S. O. S. 4. The Wings of Horus ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE 5. B. 24 ARTHUR O. FRIEL: 6. The Spider 7. The Vulture ARTHUR QUILLER-COUCH: 8. Statement of Gabriel Foot, Highwayman 9. The Affair of Bleakirk-on-Sands 10. The Countess of Bellarmine ARTHUR STRINGER: 11. The Adolescence of Number Eighty-Seven 12. The Button Thief 13. The Wire-Tappers ARTHUR TRAIN: 14. Extradition 15. The Baron de Ville 16. The Golden To...

Charlotte is a restless young socialite unhappily married to the brutish Stephen Cranfill. When she meets the charming yet intense pianist Jean Dorat, they feel an instant connection. As their friendship deepens, Charlotte finds herself increasingly drawn to Jean despite her marriage vows. Ultimately she must choose between duty and desire, and her decision will impact not only her own future but Jean's promising career.Can forbidden love overcome societal expectations? This poigna...

"The Prairie Child" follows the story of its protagonist, a young woman named Margo, who grows up on the vast and rugged plains of the Canadian prairie. Raised by her father, a rugged homesteader, Margo develops a deep love for the land and a fierce independence that sets her apart from others.As Margo matures, she finds herself torn between two worlds: the wild beauty of the prairie and the expectations of society. When a handsome stranger arrives in town, Margo's life is forever changed ...

The Button Thief by Arthur Stringer is offered here in a clean English digital edition prepared for fluent ebook reading. The work stands within classics and gives modern readers direct access to a public-domain classic with navigable structure and a restrained typographic presentation. The opening pages establish the book's atmosphere with this first movement: SKEEL, the mild eyed young expert of the Amalgamated Wireless, began to realize that he was going to be late. And the thought of b...

"The Wire Tappers" is a suspenseful novel centered around the world of wiretapping and surveillance. The story follows characters involved in the practice of wiretapping, which involves secretly listening to and recording telephone conversations. This activity is often associated with espionage, crime, and intrigue.The plot typically revolves around a complex web of deceit, as the characters become entangled in a series of events driven by the information obtained through wiretapping. As t...

I opened my eyes and saw a pea-green world all around me. Then I heard the doctor say: “Give ’er another whiff or two.” His voice sounded far-away, as though he were speaking through the Simplon Tunnel, and not merely through his teeth, within twelve inches of my nose. I took my whiff or two. I gulped at that chloroform like a thirsty Bedouin at a wadi-spring. I went down into the pea-green emptiness again, and forgot about the Kelly pad and the recurring waves of pain that came bigger and...

Our 90th issue is another great one—3 original short stories, 8 modern and classic short story reprints, a novella, and a pair of novels. That’s a lot of reading! Where to start with the highlights?On the mystery side, Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman is back from her hiatus with another mystery selection (“Bad Chemistry” by John G. Wimer), as is Michael Bracken (“The Garden” by Jeffrey James Higgins). And proving Hal Charles isn’t the only one who can write Solve-It-Yourself myseries...

Arthur Stringer (1874 – 1950) was a Canadian novelist, screenwriter, and poet who later moved to the United States.In Are All Men Alike? focuses on poor little rich girl Teddie. she is unhappy with the environment in which she was brought up but as soon as she get out of it discovers that all the men she meets have an incurable fondness for kissing her. Which is why she asks: “Are all men alike?”The second tale, The Lost Titian, is a love-at-first-sight tale, in parts well-...

Arthur Stringer (1874 – 1950) was a Canadian novelist, screenwriter, and poet who later moved to the United States.The Shadow (1913) follows detective “Never-Fail” Blake on a Moby Dick style quest to find a counterfeiter. Blake is an “old fashioned” detective in 1913, trusting the old tried-and-true methods over “modern” crime solving. It is as much a character study of an obsessed man as a mystery, and one of Stringer’s best. The New York Times called it “an excellent sto...

A fast-paced spy romance involving international intrigue and undercover intelligence operations.

Arthur Stringer'Äôs "The Silver Poppy" is a captivating exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of human emotion set against the backdrop of early 20th-century society. Stringer's prose is imbued with lyrical elegance, seamlessly intertwining vivid imagery and poignant dialogue that resonate deeply with readers. The novel navigates the intricate dynamics of relationships, infused with the tension of societal expectations and personal desires, encouraging reflection on the universal...

Arthur Stringer's "The City of Peril" is a gripping tale that immerses readers in the intricate web of urban life interwoven with themes of danger and mystery. Stringer's literary style in this work is characterized by vivid imagery and dynamic character development, showcasing his ability to blend realism with suspense. Set against the backdrop of an evolving cityscape, the narrative unfolds as characters confront both personal dilemmas and larger societal issues, reflecting the anxieties...