
I MY BROTHER FINDS HIMSELF IN TWO PLACES AT ONCE.
II AND ESCAPES FROM BOTH.
III I HAVE ENCOUNTER BY THE RIVER.
IV I SIT IN ON FATE.
V THE UNDERWORLD INTRUDES.
VI AND I FAIL TO PREVENT A BUMP-OFF.
VII I KEEP MY OWN COUNSEL.
VIII A LADY DISCREDITS ME.
IX I SEEK THE UNDERWORLD.
X AND LEARN THE WAYS OF ITS LOGIC.
Steve and his lifelong companion Jerry have shared everything from childhood games to the trenches of the Argonne, forging a bond as solid as marble. Jerry moves through their world with quiet intensity, noticing the slightest shift in light or a closed door that most would ignore, turning those details into restless curiosity. When Jerry returns one night, pale and shaken, his eyes flicker with a secret that pulls Steve from his book into uneasy alertness.
The mystery centers on Dorothy Crewe, a striking woman in a pale blue dress whose glittering necklace vanishes, leaving a lingering sense of loss that haunts the silent hallway. Jerry's instinct tells him something is amiss, and his obsessive need to decode hidden meanings drags the friends deeper into a tangled web of personal betrayals and unspoken fears. The story builds a slow‑burning tension, letting ordinary details become clues that keep listeners leaning in.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (307K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2021-08-23
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1883–1959
Best remembered for the fast-moving disaster novel When Worlds Collide, he helped shape early American science fiction while also building a strong career in mystery fiction and magazine editing. His work mixes big ideas, suspense, and the polished storytelling of a seasoned newspaperman.
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