Short Fiction · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Short Fiction by Manly Wade Wellman.
Chapter 1
Back to the Beast
Dr. James Lawlor's journal details his experiment with a serum designed to reverse evolution, allowing him to witness his ancestral forms. Initially successful, he regresses from a primitive man to a beast-like creature. When his clumsy, transformed hands fail to mix the counter-agent, he is trapped in a downward spiral of devolution, losing speech and humanity. The journal ends with his decision to commit suicide by arsenic rather than continue his descent into a primordial state.
Chapter 2
The Invading Asteroid
A mysterious asteroid hurtles toward Earth, sparking global panic and scientific debate. As governments scramble to respond, a small group of astronomers and military officials uncover evidence that the asteroid may be artificially controlled, hinting at an extraterrestrial intelligence behind the impending catastrophe.
Chapter 3
I
The protagonist awakens on the alien world Dondromogon with no memory of his past, guided by a mysterious voice that tells him he was brought from Earth for a destined leadership. He seeks shelter from a dust storm and is confronted by guards who suspect him of being a spy. After a brief struggle, he is rescued by a gentlewoman of the guard named Doriza, who brings him before an officer. An elderly mystic named Sporr identifies him as Yandro, the Conquering Stranger of prophecy.
Chapter 4
II: An Incredible Story
Neil, Bull Mike, and Sukune capture a Martian scout who reveals that an artificial asteroid, built from four joined Martian ships, is hurtling toward Earth with 600,000 troops and 2,000 raiding ships. After using jiujitsu to force a confession, they return to Earth, report to intelligence, and the Martian's story is verified by truth-ray. The high command organizes a 6,000-ship expedition to intercept the asteroid in early March 2676, and the three friends are secretly assigned to the raiding group.
Chapter 5
III: The Deserter
Yaxa, a Martian prisoner, is freed by the Terrestrial Neil Andresson, who defects to the Martian cause. Together they escape in Yaxa's spaceship, taking Sukune and Bull Mike as prisoners. After a journey to the Martian asteroid, Neil is welcomed and given a tour, learning about the asteroid's structure and the central magnetic cable that holds its four sections together.
Chapter 6
IV: The Great Battle
Neil Andresson, having been freed by Yaxa, is taken to the Martian pleasure city of Pulambar where he attends a drama and a dinner with Martian officers. As a Terrestrial attack looms, Neil volunteers to guard Terrestrial prisoners rather than fight. He is taken to a chamber where Sukune and Bull Mike are held, and they watch the approaching fleet on a television screen. Neil reveals that his capture was a ruse to get inside the asteroid and destroy its gravity cable. Yaxa sounds an alarm, but the three Terrestrials fight their way to the cable pillar. Neil uses a disintegrator to breach the pillar but exhausts its charge. He then grabs the cable directly, suffering a severe shock. Bull Mike sacrifices himself by pulling the cable loop, causing a catastrophic failure.
Chapter 7
The Golgotha Dancers
The narrator, haunted by a terrifying painting of crucified figures and dancing pink creatures, experiences a series of supernatural attacks where the painted dancers come to life. After a failed attempt to dismiss the events as a nightmare, the creatures invade his apartment. With the help of Miss Dolby, a trained nurse, he discovers that destroying the painted figures on the canvas causes their living counterparts to vanish. They ultimately burn the painting, ending the threat, and the narrator realizes he loves Miss Dolby.
Chapter 8
The Hairy Ones Shall Dance
The chapter explores the intersection of supernatural evil and occultism with themes of transformation and duality, as characters confront werewolf lore and the moral corruption inherent in their encounters with the monstrous.
Chapter 9
I: “Why Must the Burden of Proof Rest with the Spirits?”
Talbot Wills and Doctor Otto Zoberg debate the existence of psychic phenomena in a Washington hotel room after a public debate. Zoberg challenges Wills's skepticism, and Wills demands a controlled materialization as proof. Zoberg reveals he knows a small-town medium who might provide the evidence Wills seeks.
Chapter 10
II: “You Can Almost Hear the Ghosts.”
Talbot Wills and Doctor Otto Zoberg travel to a remote, old-fashioned town for a psychic investigation. Zoberg demonstrates telepathic abilities during the drive and describes the town's ancient character and a 'Devil's Croft.' They meet John Gird and his daughter Susan, a reputed medium. Gird reluctantly agrees to one final séance, with Wills and himself as witnesses.
Chapter 11
III: "That Thing Isn't My Daughter—"
Talbot Wills takes Susan Gird for a drive, learning about the town's peculiar governance, the Devil's Croft, and Susan's family history. Upon returning, a séance is conducted with strict precautions, but a monstrous entity manifests and attacks John Gird.
Chapter 12
IV: “I Don’t Know What Killed Him.”
Talbot Wills, Doctor Zoberg, and Susan Gird are found handcuffed in a sealed room with John Gird's brutally murdered body. Constable O'Bryant arrives and, noting Wills's profession as a magician, suspects him of escaping the cuffs to commit the murder. Wills is arrested and locked up in the town hall cell.
Chapter 13
V: “They Want to Take the Law Into Their Own Hands.”
Talbot Wills, arrested for John Gird's murder, is locked in a cell by Constable O'Bryant. A mob forms outside the town hall, demanding vigilante justice. Wills escapes through a window, flees across the square, and heads toward the Devil's Croft, a feared grove where the mob refuses to follow. He collapses inside, finding a warm, mossy, flower-scented environment contrasting with the blizzard outside.
Chapter 14
VI: “Eyes of Fire!”
The narrator awakens in a dark, warm grove after escaping from prison and a mob. He explores the area, discovering a small stream and lush vegetation. While striking a match to observe his surroundings, he glimpses strange, non-human feet beneath bushes. A creature follows him through the grove, and he eventually finds himself in a clearing. When he lights a cigarette, he sees two fiery eyes in the tunnel behind him. The creature emerges, revealing the same misshapen, point-eared silhouette he saw earlier in John Gird's dining room.
Chapter 15
VII: “Had the Thing Been So Hairy?”
The narrator confronts a monstrous creature in the forbidden grove, believing it to be the killer of John Gird. After a desperate struggle, he knocks the creature unconscious with a rock. As he examines it by matchlight, he realizes the creature is becoming more human—the fur is vanishing, revealing clothing and human features. Terrified by this transformation, he flees, eventually encountering Judge Keith Pursuivant, who calmly identifies himself and offers shelter.
Chapter 16
A Trick That Almost Killed You
Talbot Wills meets Judge Keith Pursuivant, who rescues him from the mob and takes him to his home. They discuss the supernatural events Wills experienced, including the creature in the Devil's Croft. Pursuivant reveals his knowledge of hot springs in the area and begins to lecture Wills on lycanthropy, insisting that werewolves are real.
Chapter 17
IX: “To a Terrified Victim He Is Doom Itself.”
Talbot Wills and Judge Pursuivant discuss lycanthropy and ectoplasm, with Pursuivant presenting books by Charles Richet and Montague Summers to argue that werewolves are real and can be explained through materialization. He draws parallels between werewolf lore and psychic phenomena, challenging Wills' skepticism and ultimately offering him a Bible for comfort.
Chapter 18
X: Bloodlust and Compassion
Talbot Wills, sheltered by Judge Pursuivant, learns of the town's manhunt for him and the mob's intent to lynch him. Susan Gird visits, discussing her hazy memories of the séance and her father's death. Judge Pursuivant clears Wills and Susan of suspicion after a new attack occurs while they were together. The chapter explores werewolf motivations through Pursuivant's marginal notes and Wills's reflections on lycanthropy, science, and superstition.
Chapter 19
XI: "To Meet That Monster Face to Face!"
Judge Pursuivant, Talbot Wills, and Susan Gird prepare to confront the werewolf in the Devil's Croft. The judge shares his day in town, including a visit to Doctor Zoberg, who is determined to prove Wills innocent, and the death of the younger O'Bryant at the claws of the creature. Despite the danger, Pursuivant insists on facing the monster directly, arming the group with lanterns and matches rather than guns, as killing the werewolf would leave the mystery unsolved and Wills vulnerable to murder charges. They enter the dark thicket together.
Chapter 20
XII: “We Are Here at His Mercy.”
Talbot Wills and Susan Gird are left alone in a forest clearing by Judge Pursuivant, who claims to be preparing to confront a monster. As they wait by the fire, they begin to suspect that the judge himself may be the werewolf responsible for the recent killings. Their fears are heightened when a mysterious creature approaches the clearing, and Susan falls under its hypnotic influence, beginning to howl and act beast-like. Talbot snaps her out of the trance and comforts her, but the threat remains.
Chapter 21
XIII: “Light’s Our Best Weapon.”
After Susan's near-transformation, the group gathers around a fire to discuss the supernatural events. Doctor Zoberg, Judge Pursuivant, and Constable O'Bryant arrive, and they debate the nature of lycanthropy, ectoplasm, and Susan's possible role in the killings. Despite Susan's guilt, Talbot insists something else was prowling nearby. They decide to search the woods with lanterns, as light is their best weapon.
Chapter 22
XIV: “I Was—I Am—A Wolf.”
Talbot Wills searches the woods for the creature's tracks, finding strange round prints. He returns to the clearing to find Doctor Zoberg hypnotizing Susan Gird and covering her with ectoplasm. Wills attacks the creature, which transforms into Zoberg. Judge Pursuivant reveals he witnessed the transformation, and Zoberg is handcuffed. Zoberg confesses, 'I was—I am—a wolf.'
Chapter 23
XV: “And That Is the End.”
Doctor Zoberg confesses to his crimes, revealing his lifelong embrace of evil, his ability to control his lycanthropic transformations, and his plan to use a supernatural 'ectoplasm' to transform Susan Gird into a beast companion. He escapes his manacles using the same substance but is shot and killed by Constable O'Bryant. Judge Pursuivant admits he suspected Zoberg all along.
Chapter 24
The Black Drama
The chapter explores the dark and occult influences surrounding a theatrical performance, drawing on themes of supernatural evil and the power of belief and ritual. It delves into the mysterious events and character interactions that set the stage for a dramatic confrontation with the unknown.
Chapter 25
I: Drafted
Gilbert Connatt, a down-on-his-luck former film star, is eating at a Times Square hamburger stand when he is found by Jake Switz, the press agent for actress Sigrid Holgar. Jake persuades Gib to meet the mysterious producer Varduk about a role in a horror play written by Lord Byron. Despite his pride and past falling-out with Sigrid, Gib reluctantly agrees to consider the offer.
Chapter 26
Byron's Lost Play
Gilbert Connatt arrives at Varduk's suite for a dramatic reading of a lost play by Lord Byron, 'Ruthven.' Varduk reads the two-act play, which tells the story of the vampire Lord Ruthven and his curse on the Aubrey family. After the reading, Varduk assigns roles to the assembled actors, including Connatt, Sigrid Holgar, Martha Vining, and Elmo Davidson, and announces that Judge Pursuivant is expected to authenticate the manuscript.
Chapter 27
III: Enter Judge Pursuivant
Judge Keith Hilary Pursuivant, an occultist and antiquary, arrives and authenticates a manuscript of the play 'Ruthven' as being in Lord Byron's handwriting. Varduk reveals that he is Byron's great-grandson and that the play was bequeathed to him through Claire Clairmont. The group agrees to stage the play that summer. After the meeting, Pursuivant warns Gilbert Connatt about the play, noting that while the handwriting is Byron's, the paper is watermarked less than ten years old.
Chapter 28
IV: Into the Country
The narrator travels to the Lake Jozgid Theater, meeting Judge Pursuivant on the train. They discuss Lord Byron's life and the play 'Ruthven'. The narrator researches Pursuivant's background and receives travel funds from Jake Switz. Upon arrival, Jake expresses unease about the theater, hinting at something worse than ghosts.
Chapter 29
Jake's Story
Jake recounts his journey with Sigrid to Lake Jozgid Theater, where Varduk awaits them. After dinner, Sigrid wanders to the lakeside under the full moon, ignoring Varduk's warning to carry a lantern. Jake sees a glowing, amorphous creature emerging from the bushes toward Sigrid. He attacks it but is overwhelmed by its sickening, python-like grip. Varduk arrives and commands the creature to release Jake, driving it and other shapes away with his authority. Jake is left shaken, questioning whether the encounter was real or a dream.
Chapter 30
VI: The Theater in the Forest
The narrator, Mr. Connatt, arrives at the Lake Jozgid Theater with Jake Switz. The theater is a remote, dark lodge that feels ominous and isolated. Varduk greets them and explains the small cast: Connatt, Sigrid Holgar, Davidson, Martha Vining, and himself. Connatt and Jake stay in the boathouse loft. Connatt meets Sigrid, who seems cheerful and praises Varduk's understanding. They tour the dark-stained auditorium. Varduk announces the first rehearsal of 'Ruthven' after dinner.
Chapter 31
VII: Rehearsal
The chapter details the rehearsal of Lord Byron's play 'Ruthven' on a narrow, deep stage. Varduk directs the cast, including Gilbert Connatt as Aubrey/Swithin, Sigrid Holgar as Malvina/Mary, and Martha Vining as Bridget. During a sword-fighting rehearsal, Connatt accidentally stabs Varduk, but Varduk reveals it was a trick with false blood. The rehearsal continues until a dispute arises over a scriptural error in the Lord's Prayer, leading to tension between Connatt and Varduk, which Varduk diffuses by ending the rehearsal early.
Chapter 32
Pursuivant Again
Connatt dreams of Sigrid and Judge Pursuivant leading him to a mysterious hatchway beneath the earth. He reconciles with Davidson, swims with Sigrid, and learns that the final line of the play 'Ruthven' is missing from all scripts. Varduk dismisses it as a typist's error. Judge Pursuivant arrives for lunch and later walks with Connatt, revealing his deliberate presence and his belief in a curse on Lord Byron's bloodline, which he thinks affects Varduk.
Chapter 33
IX: Davidson Gives a Warning
Davidson recounts his college encounter with Varduk, describing how Varduk's mysterious influence led to the death of a football player named Schaefer and how Davidson himself became Varduk's sworn vassal. He warns Pursuivant and the narrator not to cross Varduk.
Chapter 34
X: That Evening
Judge Pursuivant and the narrator discuss the dangerous situation involving Varduk and Sigrid Holgar, concluding that the evil must be confronted rather than avoided. During dinner, Pursuivant reveals his sword-cane with a biblical inscription to Varduk. After rehearsal, the narrator and Jake Switz find Pursuivant unconscious at the foot of the driveway, and monstrous shapes close in on them.
Chapter 35
XI: Battle and Retreat
The narrator, Jake Switz, and Judge Pursuivant are attacked by amorphous, glowing non-shapes that exude terror. Pursuivant wields a silver sword forged by Saint Dunstan to drive them back, and they retreat to safety. Pursuivant theorizes the entities are elementals or poltergeists, part of a great evil, and warns against informing Varduk, whom he suspects of orchestrating the attack.
Chapter 36
XII: Return Engagement
The chapter describes a period of calm and preparation before the opening of the play 'Ruthven'. Gib and Sigrid reconcile their past estrangement, confess their love, and decide to marry. Jake Switz is let in on their secret. The group rehearses, enjoys outdoor activities, and avoids the non-shapes by carrying flashlights at night. Varduk remains enigmatic, and Judge Pursuivant visits but never stays after dark. Publicity for the play builds, and the opening night approaches.
Chapter 37
XIII: The Black Book
On the night of the final rehearsal, Varduk draws a chalk circle around Sigrid Holgar on stage, marking the exact spot for the climactic scene. The next day, Judge Pursuivant arrives and is asked to give a pre-curtain speech. Pursuivant and Connatt discover that the 'Bible' Sigrid is to swear on is actually the 'Grand Albert,' a notorious 18th-century gospel for witches. They also find a pact signed by Lord Byron, binding him to a coven for 150 years, with a note dated 1938 transferring the service to Sigrid Holgar. Pursuivant deduces that the play is a ceremonial trap designed to perform a devastating effect on Sigrid.
Chapter 38
Zero Hour
Pursuivant reveals to Connatt that the flyleaf of a witch's book contains a pact pledging the infant Lord Byron to a coven for 150 years, explaining Byron's unnatural longevity and his current identity as Varduk. They deduce that Varduk intends to transfer the curse to Sigrid Holgar during the performance of 'Ruthven' through a witch's initiation ritual. Pursuivant devises a plan to intervene with the prop sword, and the chapter ends as the play begins.
Chapter 39
XV: “Whither? I Dread to Think—”
The climactic performance of 'Ruthven' reaches its peak as Varduk dominates the stage, eclipsing Sigrid and Connatt. With the silver sword from Pursuivant's cane, Connatt stabs Varduk during the play, causing Varduk to crumble and die. The audience is told it was a tragic accident, while Connatt comforts Sigrid and reflects on the true story of Ruthven.
Chapter 40
Fearful Rock
The chapter 'Fearful Rock' continues the narrative of supernatural occurrences and the struggle against occult forces, focusing on the characters' encounters with evil entities and the moral corruption that follows.
Chapter 41
I: The Sacrifice
Enid Mandifer learns she is adopted and is being groomed as a bride for a nameless, ageless entity worshipped by Persil Mandifer and his son Larue. Under the hypnotic influence of a strange talisman, she is commanded to go to Fearful Rock at sundown to surrender herself as a sacrificial bride.
Chapter 42
II: The Cavalry Patrol
Lieutenant Kane Lanark, a Union cavalry officer with Southern sympathies, leads a patrol into southern Missouri in April 1862, seeking to confront the guerrilla leader Quantrill. The patrol discovers a deserted house near a towering rock formation, and Lanark orders the area secured. While exploring a nearby ravine, he comes upon a nude woman praying while holding a hand-mirror in a stream.
Chapter 43
III: The Image in the Cellar
Lieutenant Lanark and Sergeant Jager interrogate Enid Mandifer, a young woman who was bathing in a stream and speaking ritual words to summon the 'Nameless One.' Lanark brings her to the house, where she reveals her name and the name of the rock formation, Fearful Rock. Later, Jager shows Lanark his copy of 'John George Hohman's Powwows or Long Lost Friend,' a book of charms and protections. Jager then leads Lanark to the cellar, where they discover a coffin-like box containing a ruddy, horned, featureless humanoid image. Jager smashes the image, revealing a hollow interior stuffed with excelsior and a mysterious, cold, hard strongbox with no visible hinges or lock, which Lanark retrieves. The chapter explores themes of superstition, supernatural evil, and the tension between rational skepticism and belief.
Chapter 44
IV: The Mandifers
Lieutenant Lanark and his troopers encounter the gaunt and sinister Persil Mandifer, who claims responsibility for the mysterious death of the sentry Newton. Mandifer's stepdaughter Enid, whom the soldiers rescued, defies him, leading to a confrontation. Mandifer is arrested after his son is shot by Sergeant Jager, but he warns of an impending attack. The chapter ends with Quantrill's guerrillas charging the camp.
Chapter 45
V: Blood in the Night
Lanark and his men are ambushed by Quantrill's guerrillas. In the chaotic battle, Lanark kills a rider and captures his horse. The house burns with strange blue flames, frightening the guerrillas into retreat. After the fight, Lanark buries the dead, including Persil Mandifer, whose body is lost in the fire. He promises Enid Mandifer he will return after the war to ensure her safety.
Chapter 46
Return
In the spring of 1866, Kane Lanark returns to the Fearful Rock country to check on Enid Mandifer, fulfilling a promise made years earlier. He first encounters his former sergeant, Jager, now a self-styled preacher living in a cabin. Jager warns him of the supernatural horrors surrounding the Mandifer farm, where Enid is said to be seen alone. Despite Jager's pleas and the gift of a protective book, Lanark insists on visiting the farm. He rides to the desolate, barren property and is greeted by Enid Mandifer at the door.
Chapter 47
VII: The Rock Again
Lanark returns to Persil Mandifer's house and finds Enid Mandifer living alone in a desolate, silent landscape. She reveals that the slaves have fled, crops will not grow, and she feels the haunting presence of her stepfather and his son, though they are dead. Lanark urges her to leave, but she refuses, fearing the evil would follow and infect the world. He departs alone, but later rides toward Fearful Rock, drawn by its challenge.
Chapter 48
VIII: The Grapple by the Grave
Lanark returns to the site of a former battle, where he discovers two empty human skins in a grave. He is attacked by a reanimated corpse of a man he had killed years earlier, but manages to subdue it with the help of a protective book, Jager's Long Lost Friend, before returning to his ex-sergeant Jager's home.
Chapter 49
IX: Debate and Decision
Lanark seeks counsel from Jager after his harrowing encounter with a demonic entity. Jager, a frontier preacher, debates the morality of using occult charms from the 'Long Lost Friend' and 'The Secrets of Albertus Magnus' to combat supernatural evil. They exchange protective charms, inscribing the Sator square on each other's palms, and Lanark finds renewed confidence before they retire for the night.
Chapter 50
X: Enid Mandifer Again
Lanark and Jager visit Enid Mandifer to investigate her stepfather's occult activities. Enid recalls his teachings about fear ruling over love and 'Those Below,' and reveals a mysterious box that can only be opened in a specific place under a full moon. She also shows them a reversed message from her stepfather, which Lanark interprets as a challenge.
Chapter 51
XI: Return of the Sacrifice
Lanark and Enid Mandifer return to the clearing where they first met, as part of a plan devised by Jager to draw out the supernatural forces by having Enid repeat the ritual of sacrifice. Lanark stands guard while Enid undresses and recites the incantation, but she sees a dark presence in her mirror and screams. Lanark fires his revolver at the lurking shape and charges into the trees.
Chapter 52
XII: Jager
Jager approaches Fearful Rock on horseback, tethers his horse, and proceeds on foot. He observes a blue light and six figures performing a counterclockwise dance, which he connects to the six dead guerrillas of Quantrill. After hearing shots and a yell from Lanark, he investigates the grave-trench and discovers the empty skins of Persil and Larue Mandifer. As he looks up, a towering silhouette blocks the sky.
Chapter 53
XIII: Lanark
Captain Kane Lanark confronts undead Confederate guerrillas in a moonlit gully near Fearful Rock. Despite his military training and courage, he discovers that his saber and revolver cannot kill the reanimated corpses. After decapitating one and severing a hand, the severed hand continues to crawl and grasp at him, forcing him to flee in horror.
Chapter 54
XIV: Enid
Enid Mandifer, instead of fleeing, follows Lieutenant Lanark into the woods, armed with a hand-mirror and a Bible. She encounters the transformed Persil Mandifer and other grotesque undead creatures, including a headless torso and a living head without a body. Driven by terror, she retrieves Lanark's revolver but is herded by the undead toward the base of Fearful Rock, where she finds Lanark poised to strike something emerging from a hole.
Chapter 55
Evil's End
Lanark, Enid, and Jager confront the supernatural remnants of Persil Mandifer's evil. They bury the stolen skins in a grave, and Lanark retrieves a hidden box containing the burned ashes of a secret writing, the destruction of which ends the curse. The skinless bodies of Mandifer and his son collapse, and the blue fire vanishes. At dawn, they reflect on the mystery, with Lanark deciding not to rationalize the horror, and Enid hopes to marry him.
Chapter 56
The Valley Was Still
Joseph Paradine encounters the witch-man Teague, who has used a corrupted book of charms to put an entire Union force to sleep. Teague offers Paradine a pact with a dark power to win the war for the South, but Paradine ultimately rejects the bargain, kills Teague, and uses the book to release the spell, burning it afterward.
Chapter 57
The Witch's Cat
Jael Bettiss, a woman who pretends to be a witch, lives in a dilapidated house in a hollow with her gaunt black cat, Gib. She uses fear and superstition to manipulate the villagers, selling charms and love philtres. Gib, who is actually amiable and loyal to his home, is mistreated by Jael and smeared with soot to appear fearsome. Jael uses a magical book to transform herself into a beautiful dark girl to win the love of John Frey, who is in love with Ivy Hill. Gib, having gained the ability to speak and reason through the magic, learns from the book that mirrors and crosses can defeat sorcery. He buries the book and marks the grave with a cross, then steals an item from Ivy Hill as ordered by Jael. The chapter explores Gib's internal conflict between his instinctive loyalty to his home and his desire for a better life with John and Ivy.
Chapter 58
The Song of the Slaves
Gender, a Charleston planter in 1853, leads a slave raid in Africa, capturing forty-nine men. The slaves sing a threatening song about bewitching and killing him, which he tries to suppress through brutal whipping. The song persists, and Gender's fear grows. After boarding his ship, a British warship pursues them for slave trading, and Gender plans to escape under cover of darkness. Later, the undead slaves return to Gender's plantation, their song and presence driving him to a terrified flight toward the sea.
Chapter 59
The Dreadful Rabbits
Judge Keith Pursuivant travels to Crispinville to investigate the local custom of greeting rabbits. He lodges with Morgan Pitts and meets his friend Ransome, who is recovering from a nervous breakdown. Ransome challenges the superstition by threatening to hunt a rabbit, but Pursuivant dissuades him and walks to town to examine historical records. The township clerk, Simmons, reluctantly retrieves an ancient chest of documents, revealing the deep roots of the rabbit-greeting tradition, which Pursuivant connects to folklore and early missionary practices.
Chapter 60
Bratton's Idea
Ben Gascon, a ventriloquist and former radio star, is kidnapped by two gunmen working for Tom-Tom, the criminal alter ego of his dummy. He is taken to a suburban cottage where he confronts the mob. Meanwhile, old Bratton, a janitor and secret mad scientist, dreams of creating life with electricity. The chapter also details a police raid on the Salters gang, where Juney Saltz is killed by a mysterious 'Squeaky-Voice,' and the subsequent kidnapping of Shannon Cole, Gascon's co-star.
Chapter 61
The Devil's Asteroid
Fitzhugh Parr is exiled to a small asteroid by Martians under treaty, where he discovers a community of degenerating Terrestrial exiles and a hidden plot involving a device that reverses evolution. He eventually helps restore the exiles and is appointed governor.
Chapter 62
It All Came True in the Woods
Clay takes his young daughter Helen for a walk in the woods, where he tells her stories about giants to entertain her. To her delight and his horror, three actual giants appear and capture Clay. Helen, remembering her father's tale that giants fear tobacco smoke, retrieves his pipe and drives the giants away, saving him. The experience leaves Clay shaken, but Helen accepts it as a natural part of the magical woods where 'everything comes true.'
Chapter 63
The Half-Haunted
Judge Pursuivant visits Alvin Scrope's new home, built on the site of the haunted Criley's Mill. They attempt an exorcism against a malevolent Hessian spirit, but the spell requires three recitations. During the second attempt, the spirit manifests and attacks, but vanishes when they retreat. Pursuivant realizes the house is only partially haunted, with the spirit confined to the area of the original mill. Two female ghosts also plead for release, and the final exorcism must be performed in the spirit's den.
Chapter 64
The Liers in Wait
King Charles II, in hiding after the Battle of Worcester, recounts his flight and disguise as a woodcutter named Will Jones. While seeking shelter in Spring Coppice, he is drawn to a strange hut where a coven of witches or sorcerers summons him inside, led by a tall, grizzled man, a small ancient-looking man, and a fair young woman holding a hair-covered book.
Chapter 65
Venus Enslaved
Planter confronts Disbro, who tries to coerce him into betraying a group of wild girls to the Skygors. A physical fight ensues, and Planter is initially outmatched but adapts his tactics. Max intervenes, choking Disbro into submission. Later, the ship is freed from a mud pool with the help of former slaves and even some Skygors. Dr. Hommerson recaps the Skygors' downfall, and Planter decides to stay on Venus, professing his love to Mara.
Chapter 66
Coven
The chapter explores the historical concept of the coven, drawing from Montague Summers' 'History of Witchcraft and Demonology' to describe witches' midnight assemblies and their structured, disciplined companies of men and women under an officer.
Chapter 67
I: The Cursed Damozel
High Private Cole Wickett, a young Confederate cavalryman captured at Shiloh, is taken in by Union Sergeant Jaeger and a chaplain. They question him about his age and lack of a sweetheart, then have him swear on the Bible. He gives his parole until sunrise. That night, a ghostly woman in a bridal dress visits him, attempting to seduce him with hypnotic power. Sergeant Jaeger interrupts with Bible verses, driving her away. Jaeger and the chaplain take Wickett to a graveyard, where they dig up the woman's grave, stake her, and then release Wickett with his parole, telling him to flee westward.
Chapter 68
II: The Flying Horned One
Cole Wickett, a starving and weary former Confederate soldier, recalls a night in 1876 near Welcome Rock on the Missouri-Arkansas border. He witnesses a monstrous flying creature with bat-wings and horns, then intervenes in a flogging where two masked men are beating a captive. After a struggle, he rescues the victim, Peter Dole, and is aided by the Reverend Mr. Jaeger, formerly a Union sergeant. Despite Jaeger's baptism, Peter dies from his injuries. Jaeger provides Wickett with food and promises explanations about the local mysteries.
Chapter 69
III: The Night Side of Preaching
Cole Wickett listens to Reverend Jaeger's account of a vampire attack and the ongoing battle against a coven of devil-worshippers in the Welcome Rock country. Jaeger explains that the coven meets at full moon, led by a winged chief devil, and that Peter Dole, a repentant coven member, was beaten to death by his comrades. Susan Gird arrives to find her father dead but is comforted by Jaeger's assurance of his repentance. Jaeger recruits Wickett for a coming combat against evil, revealing that the area was once called Fearful Rock and that his church has become a target for demonic forces.
Chapter 70
IV: The Gathering of the Vultures
In the outer night, a whickering cry rises. Jaeger explains it is the witches' Christmas, a heathen festival tied to Halloween but reckoned by the full moon. Susan Gird, under a hypnotic spell, attempts to recite a binding charm but cannot utter the demon's name. Jaeger reveals he used a counter-charm from 'Powwows, or Long Lost Friend.' Outside, voices blend beast and human in horrid laughter. A ritual chant is heard, and Jaeger blows out the lamp. Through the window, Cole Wickett sees a horned, bat-winged creature approach the door, blow on the lock, and command entry. The horde rushes in with a pale, rotten light.
Chapter 71
V: The Rout of the Witches
The coven attacks Jaeger's home, but Jaeger and Wickett fight back, killing or wounding seven of the eleven attackers. Jaeger reveals the witches' charms are ineffective against them, and after interrogating a survivor named Splain, Jaeger gives Wickett a silver-loaded revolver to face the Flying Horned One.
Chapter 72
VI: The Five Silver Bullets
The narrator, armed with a revolver loaded with five silver bullets by Jaeger, ventures out into the night to confront the Flying Horned One. He witnesses the monster beating his worshippers with a stick and using a magical diagram to open a portal. The Flying Horned One forces his followers into the portal, and the narrator fires his bullets, ultimately causing the monster to fall into the portal himself, which then closes.
Chapter 73
VII: The Grave-Digging
Jaeger and the narrator dig a grave for the seven victims of the Flying Horned One. Jaeger explains his plan to bury them without public inquiry, reflecting on the wildness of the land and the nature of demons as beings from another sphere. He suggests the narrator might settle down with Susan Dole.
Chapter 74
Warrior of Two Worlds
The chapter likely explores the dual existence of a character navigating between two distinct worlds, possibly involving supernatural elements and personal transformation.
Chapter 75
I
The protagonist awakens on the alien world Dondromogon with no memory of his past, guided by a mysterious voice that tells him he was brought from Earth for a destined leadership. He seeks shelter from a dust storm and is confronted by guards who suspect him of being a spy. After a brief struggle, he is rescued by a gentlewoman of the guard named Doriza, who brings him before an officer. An elderly mystic named Sporr identifies him as Yandro, the Conquering Stranger of prophecy.
Chapter 76
II
Yandro is introduced to the Council of Dondromogon, learns about the history of the Fifteen, the population limit of seven hundred, and the war against the Newcomers. He witnesses a televised battle where a scout is sent to his death for his viewing, leading him to question the Council's ruthlessness.
Chapter 77
III
Yandro is introduced to the people of Dondromogon as their prophesied champion. He speaks to them, promising peace and victory over the Newcomers. Gederr issues a challenge to the Newcomers, and Yandro is led to a pavilion of pleasure where Elonie attempts to seduce and hypnotize him. He resists, and Doriza is sent to him.
Chapter 78
IV
Yandro (the amnesiac protagonist) is forced into a duel with Rohbar, whom he defeats but is then executed by Gederr. Afterward, Doriza reveals that the Council has been lying to him: he is not Yandro but Barak of the Newcomers, and they plan to use and then kill him.
Chapter 79
V
Barak regains his memory with Doriza's help, recalling that he is actually a Newcomer warrior named Barak who was captured, hypnotized, and manipulated by Gederr and the Council to be used as a tool. They escape an assassination attempt, witness Gederr execute the Council and blame Barak as a spy, then flee toward the battle zones. Disguising themselves, they infiltrate a lower chamber where glare-ray explosives are set to ambush the Newcomers, and Barak confronts an officer who questions his identity.
Chapter 80
VI
Barak, amidst a chaotic battle between the Newcomers and the forces of Dondromogon, attempts to broker peace by appealing to both sides. He faces Gederr, who threatens to detonate a mine. Gederr is killed by an explosion set off by Doriza, revealed to be a spy for the Newcomers. The battle ends, and Barak is hailed as a hero, though he is more concerned with Doriza's fate.
Chapter 81
All Were Monsters
A lone farmer encounters an alien named Provvorr, who has studied Earth from afar and plans to colonize it after humanity's predicted self-destruction. The alien is horrified by Earth's animals—dogs, cats, moths—which he finds monstrous and uncontrollable. After witnessing the farmer's casual killing of a moth and meeting his dog Skip and cat Oscar, Provvorr decides his people cannot colonize a world swarming with such 'hideous life.' Before leaving, he offers the farmer a simple solution to prevent humanity's destruction.
Chapter 82
Half Around Pluto
Lieutenant Wofforth, stranded on Pluto with Jenks and Corbett after their scout rocket crashes and the mother ship departs, leads a desperate sled journey across the frozen surface toward Base Camp. Tensions erupt when Jenks shoots Corbett, puncturing their tent and causing a fatal loss of pressure. Wofforth survives by donning a spacesuit, buries the dead, and continues alone at high speed across the plain.
