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Short Fiction · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Short Fiction by O. Henry.

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  1. Chapter 1

    Lord Oakhurst’s Curse

    The chapter introduces Lord Oakhurst's curse, a mysterious and ominous force that affects the characters and events in the story, setting the stage for themes of deception and consequence.

  2. Chapter 2

    I

    The narrator recounts a train journey to Pittsburgh where he unexpectedly reunites with an old acquaintance, John A. Pescud, a traveling salesman for a plate-glass company. The chapter introduces Pescud's character and sets the stage for a deeper conversation about his views on life and romance.

  3. Chapter 3

    II

    John Pescud critiques popular bestselling novels that feature American heroes romancing European princesses, arguing that such stories are unrealistic and inconsistent with real-life social classes and behavior. He insists that people marry within their own station and that fiction should reflect this truth.

  4. Chapter 4

    III: The Curse

    Sir Everhard FitzArmond is attacked by Lord Oakhurst's pack of curs as he leaves Oakhurst Castle, prompting him to utter a terrible curse before fleeing in his carriage.

  5. Chapter 5

    Bexar Scrip No. 2692

    The chapter describes the General Land Office in Austin, Texas, and the history of Bexar Scrip No. 2692, a missing land file. It follows the land agent Sharp, who discovers a fatal defect in the title of a widow's land and files a new claim. He later finds the missing certificate that would invalidate his claim, but is caught by the widow's son, Edward Harris. In a violent struggle, Sharp kills Harris and hides the body, then later returns to remove evidence.

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  1. Chapter 6Queries and Answers
  2. Chapter 7Aristocracy Versus Hash
  3. Chapter 8Fickle Fortune or How Gladys Hustled
  4. Chapter 9A Strange Story
  5. Chapter 10The Great French Detective, in Austin
  6. Chapter 11I
  7. Chapter 12II
  8. Chapter 13III
  9. Chapter 14Tracked to Doom
  10. Chapter 15A Snapshot at the President
  11. Chapter 16Three Paragraphs
  12. Chapter 17A Lunar Episode
  13. Chapter 18The Sensitive Colonel Jay
  14. Chapter 19The Distraction of Grief
  15. Chapter 20A Sporting Interest
  16. Chapter 21Had a Use for It
  17. Chapter 22The Old Landmark
  18. Chapter 23Getting at the Facts
  19. Chapter 24Too Wise
  20. Chapter 25Answers to Inquiries
  21. Chapter 26Hush Money
  22. Chapter 27Relieved
  23. Chapter 28A Villainous Trick
  24. Chapter 29Book Reviews
  25. Chapter 30A Conditional Pardon
  26. Chapter 31Bill Nye
  27. Chapter 32A Guarded Secret
  28. Chapter 33A Universal Favorite
  29. Chapter 34Willing to Compromise
  30. Chapter 35Ridiculous
  31. Chapter 36Guessed Everything Else
  32. Chapter 37A Slight Mistake
  33. Chapter 38A Good Story Spoiled
  34. Chapter 39Revenge
  35. Chapter 40No Help for It
  36. Chapter 41Not So Much a Tam Fool
  37. Chapter 42A Guess-Proof Mystery Story
  38. Chapter 43Chapter I
  39. Chapter 44Chapter II
  40. Chapter 45Chapter III
  41. Chapter 46Chapter IV
  42. Chapter 47Chapter V
  43. Chapter 48An Inspiration
  44. Chapter 49Coming to Him
  45. Chapter 50His Pension
  46. Chapter 51The Winner
  47. Chapter 52Hungry Henry's Ruse
  48. Chapter 53One Consolation
  49. Chapter 54An Unsuccessful Experiment
  50. Chapter 55Even Worse
  51. Chapter 56The Shock
  52. Chapter 57The Cynic
  53. Chapter 58Speaking of Big Winds
  54. Chapter 59An Original Idea
  55. Chapter 60Calculations
  56. Chapter 61A Valedictory
  57. Chapter 62Solemn Thoughts
  58. Chapter 63Explaining It
  59. Chapter 64Her Failing
  60. Chapter 65A Disagreement
  61. Chapter 66An Expensive Veracity
  62. Chapter 67Grounds for Uneasiness
  63. Chapter 68Recognition
  64. Chapter 69His Doubt
  65. Chapter 70A Cheering Thought
  66. Chapter 71What It Was
  67. Chapter 72Identified
  68. Chapter 73Red Conlin's Eloquence
  69. Chapter 74Marvelous
  70. Chapter 75The Stranger's Appeal
  71. Chapter 76The Colonel’s Romance
  72. Chapter 77A Narrow Escape
  73. Chapter 78A Years Supply
  74. Chapter 79Slightly Mixed
  75. Chapter 80Knew What Was Needed
  76. Chapter 81Some Ancient News Notes
  77. Chapter 82A Sure Method
  78. Chapter 83A Tragedy
  79. Chapter 84A Houston Romance
  80. Chapter 85Nothing New Under the Sun
  81. Chapter 86A Matter of Loyalty
  82. Chapter 87By Easy Stages
  83. Chapter 88Taking No Chances
  84. Chapter 89The Other Side of It
  85. Chapter 90The Bruised Reed
  86. Chapter 91Journalistically Impossible
  87. Chapter 92The Power of Reputation
  88. Chapter 93A Personal Insult
  89. Chapter 94Reconciliation
  90. Chapter 95Buying a Piano
  91. Chapter 96Too Late
  92. Chapter 97A New Microbe
  93. Chapter 98A Story for Men
  94. Chapter 99Just a Little Damp
  95. Chapter 100Her Mysterious Charm
  96. Chapter 101Why He Hesitated
  97. Chapter 102Convinced
  98. Chapter 103How It Started
  99. Chapter 104His Dilemma
  100. Chapter 105Something for Baby
  101. Chapter 106A Righteous Outburst
  102. Chapter 107A Green Hand
  103. Chapter 108A Fatal Error
  104. Chapter 109The Rake-Off
  105. Chapter 110The Telegram
  106. Chapter 111An Opportunity Declined
  107. Chapter 112The Confession of a Murderer
  108. Chapter 113A Startling Demonstration
  109. Chapter 114Leap Year Advice
  110. Chapter 115After Supper
  111. Chapter 116His Only Opportunity
  112. Chapter 117Correcting a Great Injustice
  113. Chapter 118Getting Acquainted
  114. Chapter 119City Perils
  115. Chapter 120Jack the Giant Killer
  116. Chapter 121No Time to Lose
  117. Chapter 122Paderewski's Hair
  118. Chapter 123Binkley's Practical School of Journalism
  119. Chapter 124The Apple
  120. Chapter 125A Pastel
  121. Chapter 126A Night Errant
  122. Chapter 127Board and Ancestors
  123. Chapter 128An X-Ray Fable
  124. Chapter 129The Sporting Editor on Culture
  125. Chapter 130A Question of Direction
  126. Chapter 131The Prisoner of Zembla
  127. Chapter 132Lucky Either Way
  128. Chapter 133The "Bad Man"
  129. Chapter 134Simmon's Saturday Night
  130. Chapter 135The Wounded Veteran
  131. Chapter 136Her Ruse
  132. Chapter 137Why Conductors Are Morose
  133. Chapter 138Led Astray
  134. Chapter 139The Mirage on the Frio
  135. Chapter 140The Legend of San Jacinto
  136. Chapter 141In Mezzotint
  137. Chapter 142Whiskey Did It
  138. Chapter 143How Willie Saved Father
  139. Chapter 144Veriton Villa
  140. Chapter 145A Mystery of Many Centuries
  141. Chapter 146The Good Boy
  142. Chapter 147The Dissipated Jeweler
  143. Chapter 148Sufficient Provocation
  144. Chapter 149The Pint Flask
  145. Chapter 150An Unknown Romance
  146. Chapter 151How She Got in the Swim
  147. Chapter 152An Odd Character
  148. Chapter 153The Barber Talks
  149. Chapter 154The Sunday Excursionist
  150. Chapter 155Barbershop Adventure
  151. Chapter 156Somebody Lied
  152. Chapter 157The Lotus and the Cockleburrs
  153. Chapter 158The Proem
  154. Chapter 159Fox-in-the-Morning
  155. Chapter 160The Lotus and the Bottle
  156. Chapter 161Smith
  157. Chapter 162Caught
  158. Chapter 163Cupid's Exile Number Two
  159. Chapter 164The Phonograph and the Graft
  160. Chapter 165Money Maze
  161. Chapter 166The Admiral
  162. Chapter 167The Flag Paramount
  163. Chapter 168The Shamrock and the Palm
  164. Chapter 169The Remnants of the Code
  165. Chapter 170Shoes
  166. Chapter 171Ships
  167. Chapter 172Masters of Arts
  168. Chapter 173Dicky
  169. Chapter 174Rouge Et Noir
  170. Chapter 175Two Recalls
  171. Chapter 176The Vitagraphoscope
  172. Chapter 177Whistling Dick's Christmas Stocking
  173. Chapter 178Georgia's Ruling
  174. Chapter 179Bulger's Friend
  175. Chapter 180A Blackjack Bargainer
  176. Chapter 181The Duplicity of Hargraves
  177. Chapter 182The Passing of Black Eagle
  178. Chapter 183Cherchez La Femme
  179. Chapter 184Friends in San Rosario
  180. Chapter 185The Marionettes
  181. Chapter 186By Courier
  182. Chapter 187Madame Bo-Peep, of the Ranches
  183. Chapter 188An Afternoon Miracle
  184. Chapter 189A Call Loan
  185. Chapter 190The Struggle of the Outliers
  186. Chapter 191A Professional Secret
  187. Chapter 192Cupid à la Carte
  188. Chapter 193A Departmental Case
  189. Chapter 194Round the Circle
  190. Chapter 195The Cactus
  191. Chapter 196The Renaissance at Charleroi
  192. Chapter 197Hearts and Hands
  193. Chapter 198A Ghost of a Chance
  194. Chapter 199Art and the Bronco
  195. Chapter 200Hygeia at the Solito
  196. Chapter 201Sound and Fury
  197. Chapter 202Roads of Destiny
  198. Chapter 203The Left Branch
  199. Chapter 204The Right Branch
  200. Chapter 205The Main Road
  201. Chapter 206The Robe of Peace
  202. Chapter 207A Retrieved Reformation
  203. Chapter 208One Dollar's Worth
  204. Chapter 209While the Auto Waits
  205. Chapter 210The Guardian of the Accolade
  206. Chapter 211October and June
  207. Chapter 212The Marquis and Miss Sally
  208. Chapter 213Out of Nazareth
  209. Chapter 214The Atavism of John Tom Little Bear
  210. Chapter 215The Whirligig of Life
  211. Chapter 216The Fourth in Salvador
  212. Chapter 217Jimmy Hayes and Muriel
  213. Chapter 218I
  214. Chapter 219II
  215. Chapter 220III
  216. Chapter 221Tobin's Palm
  217. Chapter 222The Lonesome Road
  218. Chapter 223Confessions of a Humorist
  219. Chapter 224At Arms with Morpheus
  220. Chapter 225The Princess and the Puma
  221. Chapter 226A Chaparral Christmas Gift
  222. Chapter 227The Sphinx Apple
  223. Chapter 228The Pimienta Pancakes
  224. Chapter 229The Social Triangle
  225. Chapter 230The Elusive Tenderloin
  226. Chapter 231A Chaparral Prince
  227. Chapter 232The Ferry of Unfulfilment
  228. Chapter 233The Pendulum
  229. Chapter 234The Hypotheses of Failure
  230. Chapter 235Transformation of Martin Burney
  231. Chapter 236A Little Local Colour
  232. Chapter 237A Newspaper Story
  233. Chapter 238A Madison Square Arabian Night
  234. Chapter 239The Champion of the Weather
  235. Chapter 240On Behalf of the Management
  236. Chapter 241The Enchanted Kiss
  237. Chapter 242The Adventures of Shamrock Jolnes
  238. Chapter 243After Twenty Years
  239. Chapter 244The Sparrows in Madison Square
  240. Chapter 245Lost on Dress Parade
  241. Chapter 246The Reformation of Calliope
  242. Chapter 247Witches’ Loaves
  243. Chapter 248New York by Camp Fire Light
  244. Chapter 249The Romance of a Busy Broker
  245. Chapter 250A Matter of Mean Elevation
  246. Chapter 251The Brief Debut of Tildy
  247. Chapter 252Holding Up a Train
  248. Chapter 253The Easter of the Soul
  249. Chapter 254Ulysses and the Dogman
  250. Chapter 255The Complete Life of John Hopkins
  251. Chapter 256The Caliph and the Cad
  252. Chapter 257The Door of Unrest
  253. Chapter 258The Emancipation of Billy
  254. Chapter 259A Harlem Tragedy
  255. Chapter 260Dougherty's Eye-Opener
  256. Chapter 261The Rubber Plant's Story
  257. Chapter 262The Gold That Glittered
  258. Chapter 263A Lickpenny Lover
  259. Chapter 264The Missing Chord
  260. Chapter 265A Dinner at ⸻
  261. Chapter 266One Thousand Dollars
  262. Chapter 267A Comedy in Rubber
  263. Chapter 268The Defeat of the City
  264. Chapter 269The Pride of the Cities
  265. Chapter 270The Greater Coney
  266. Chapter 271Transients in Arcadia
  267. Chapter 272The Lady Higher Up
  268. Chapter 273The Foreign Policy of Company 99
  269. Chapter 274Two Renegades
  270. Chapter 275A Tempered Wind
  271. Chapter 276The Roads We Take
  272. Chapter 277The Furnished Room
  273. Chapter 278The Diamond of Kali
  274. Chapter 279A Little Talk About Mobs
  275. Chapter 280Suite Homes and Their Romance
  276. Chapter 281The Caliph, Cupid and the Clock
  277. Chapter 282Makes the Whole World Kin
  278. Chapter 283The Love-Philtre of Ikey Schoenstein
  279. Chapter 284The Rathskeller and the Rose
  280. Chapter 285A Sacrifice Hit
  281. Chapter 286The Sleuths
  282. Chapter 287The Theory and the Hound
  283. Chapter 288The Coming-Out of Maggie
  284. Chapter 289Squaring the Circle
  285. Chapter 290Hearts and Crosses
  286. Chapter 291The Ransom of Mack
  287. Chapter 292The Cop and the Anthem
  288. Chapter 293Christmas by Injunction
  289. Chapter 294The Green Door
  290. Chapter 295The Church with an Overshot-Wheel
  291. Chapter 296The Badge of Policeman O’Roon
  292. Chapter 297A Ramble in Aphasia
  293. Chapter 298The Making of a New Yorker
  294. Chapter 299A Service of Love
  295. Chapter 300Psyche and the Pskyscraper
  296. Chapter 301A Cosmopolite in a Café
  297. Chapter 302The Girl and the Habit
  298. Chapter 303Vanity and Some Sables
  299. Chapter 304The Unknown Quantity
  300. Chapter 305Babes in the Jungle
  301. Chapter 306The Song and the Sergeant
  302. Chapter 307Man About Town
  303. Chapter 308Memoirs of a Yellow Dog
  304. Chapter 309Mammon and the Archer
  305. Chapter 310The Detective Detector
  306. Chapter 311Little Speck in Garnered Fruit
  307. Chapter 312The Shocks of Doom
  308. Chapter 313Extradited from Bohemia
  309. Chapter 314The Red Roses of Tonia
  310. Chapter 315Springtime à la Carte
  311. Chapter 316Between Rounds
  312. Chapter 317Tommy's Burglar
  313. Chapter 318The Marry Month of May
  314. Chapter 319The Girl and the Graft
  315. Chapter 320The Call of the Tame
  316. Chapter 321According to Their Lights
  317. Chapter 322Roses, Ruses and Romance
  318. Chapter 323The Voice of the City
  319. Chapter 324Hostages to Momus
  320. Chapter 325I
  321. Chapter 326II
  322. Chapter 327III
  323. Chapter 328IV
  324. Chapter 329Sisters of the Golden Circle
  325. Chapter 330The Dog and the Playlet
  326. Chapter 331An Adjustment of Nature
  327. Chapter 332A Midsummer Knight's Dream
  328. Chapter 333The Lost Blend
  329. Chapter 334An Unfinished Story
  330. Chapter 335Nemesis and the Candy Man
  331. Chapter 336The City of Dreadful Night
  332. Chapter 337The Skylight Room
  333. Chapter 338The Assessor of Success
  334. Chapter 339From Each According to His Ability
  335. Chapter 340The Poet and the Peasant
  336. Chapter 341A Bird of Bagdad
  337. Chapter 342The Plutonian Fire
  338. Chapter 343The Guilty Party
  339. Chapter 344The Last Leaf
  340. Chapter 345Elsie in New York
  341. Chapter 346The Clarion Call
  342. Chapter 347The Tale of a Tainted Tenner
  343. Chapter 348Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen
  344. Chapter 349Blind Man's Holiday
  345. Chapter 350Telemachus, Friend
  346. Chapter 351A Double-Dyed Deceiver
  347. Chapter 352The Gift of the Magi
  348. Chapter 353The Duel
  349. Chapter 354The Thing's the Play
  350. Chapter 355The Rubaiyat of a Scotch Highball
  351. Chapter 356The Buyer from Cactus City
  352. Chapter 357The Harbinger
  353. Chapter 358The Day Resurgent
  354. Chapter 359The Fool-Killer
  355. Chapter 360The Handbook of Hymen
  356. Chapter 361Brickdust Row
  357. Chapter 362Sociology in Serge and Straw
  358. Chapter 363Girl
  359. Chapter 364A Ruler of Men
  360. Chapter 365The Trimmed Lamp
  361. Chapter 366The Higher Abdication
  362. Chapter 367Calloway's Code
  363. Chapter 368The Country of Elusion
  364. Chapter 369The Ethics of Pig
  365. Chapter 370Compliments of the Season
  366. Chapter 371Seats of the Haughty
  367. Chapter 372The Purple Dress
  368. Chapter 373Past One at Rooney's
  369. Chapter 374The Indian Summer of Dry Valley Johnson
  370. Chapter 375The Man Higher Up
  371. Chapter 376Proof of the Pudding
  372. Chapter 377The Halberdier of the Little Rheinschloss
  373. Chapter 378The Caballero's Way
  374. Chapter 379The Ransom of Red Chief
  375. Chapter 380The Fifth Wheel
  376. Chapter 381The World and the Door
  377. Chapter 382Phoebe
  378. Chapter 383Next to Reading Matter
  379. Chapter 384The Day We Celebrate
  380. Chapter 385The Octopus Marooned
  381. Chapter 386Jeff Peters as a Personal Magnet
  382. Chapter 387Modern Rural Sports
  383. Chapter 388The Chair of Philanthromathematics
  384. Chapter 389The Hand That Riles the World
  385. Chapter 390The Exact Science of Matrimony
  386. Chapter 391A Midsummer Masquerade
  387. Chapter 392Shearing the Wolf
  388. Chapter 393Innocents of Broadway
  389. Chapter 394Conscience in Art
  390. Chapter 395The Memento
  391. Chapter 396The Enchanted Profile
  392. Chapter 397A Night in New Arabia
  393. Chapter 398The Headhunter
  394. Chapter 399The Moment of Victory
  395. Chapter 400The Rose of Dixie
  396. Chapter 401Buried Treasure
  397. Chapter 402The Last of the Troubadours
  398. Chapter 403Strictly Business
  399. Chapter 404What You Want
  400. Chapter 405The Hiding of Black Bill
  401. Chapter 406Schools and Schools
  402. Chapter 407I
  403. Chapter 408II
  404. Chapter 409III
  405. Chapter 410IV
  406. Chapter 411V
  407. Chapter 412The Discounters of Money
  408. Chapter 413He Also Serves
  409. Chapter 414The Third Ingredient
  410. Chapter 415Thimble, Thimble
  411. Chapter 416Helping the Other Fellow
  412. Chapter 417II
  413. Chapter 418III
  414. Chapter 419IV
  415. Chapter 420Supply and Demand
  416. Chapter 421To Him Who Waits
  417. Chapter 422The Higher Pragmatism
  418. Chapter 423I
  419. Chapter 424II
  420. Chapter 425Bestseller
  421. Chapter 426I
  422. Chapter 427II
  423. Chapter 428III
  424. Chapter 429IV
  425. Chapter 430No Story
  426. Chapter 431A Poor Rule
  427. Chapter 432Rus in Urbe
  428. Chapter 433The Venturers
  429. Chapter 434A Municipal Report
  430. Chapter 435A Christmas Pi
  431. Chapter 436A Technical Error
  432. Chapter 437Let Me Feel Your Pulse
  433. Chapter 438The Friendly Call
  434. Chapter 439The Snow Man
  435. Chapter 440Law and Order
  436. Chapter 441An Unfinished Christmas Story
  437. Chapter 442The Unprofitable Servant
  438. Chapter 443A Fog in Santone
  439. Chapter 444The Dream
  440. Chapter 445Endnotes