
In a rugged mountain outpost, prospector Joe Teagler finally strikes a rich vein of gold, a dream finally within reach. He lives alone in a rough shanty perched on the scarred side of Old Tiptop, his only comforts a modest radio set and the occasional picture of his daughter. One quiet afternoon, a mysterious stranger appears at his door—dressed in a fine, dirt‑caked suit, his eyes cold and his scar a silent warning. The visitor’s sudden arrival, his quiet hunger, and his keen interest in the radio broadcast set an uneasy tone that suggests more than a simple meal.
As the crackling radio announces a police reward for the capture of a notorious thief known as “Snapper” Kirk, the stranger’s reaction hints at a hidden connection. Teagler, ever the hospitable host, tries to keep the conversation ordinary, but the stranger’s terse replies and the eerie scar on his cheek raise questions about who—or what—has followed him up the mountain. The stage is set for a tense encounter where isolation, greed, and a lurking criminal past may soon collide.
Language
en
Duration
~16 minutes (15K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: The Ridgway Company, 1923.
Credits
Roger Frank and Sue Clark
Release date
2023-08-26
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
A hard-to-pin-down pulp-era writer remembered today for a single crackling adventure tale, with a knack for blending frontier danger, crime, and quick thinking. The surviving record is slim, which only adds to the mystery around this forgotten magazine author.
View all books