CAN SUCH THINGS BE? BY AMBROSE BIERCE [Picture: Decorative graphic labelled B L] * * * * * BONI & LIVERIGHT NEW YORK 1918 * * * * * COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY * * * * * CONTENTS PAGE THE DEATH OF HALPIN FRAYSER 13 THE SECRET OF MACARGER’S GULCH 44 ONE SUMMER NIGHT 58 THE MOONLIT ROAD 62 A DIAGNOSIS OF DEATH 81 MOXON’S MASTER 88 A TOUGH TUSSLE 106 ONE OF TWINS 121 THE HAUNTED VALLEY 134 A JUG OF SIRUP 155 STALEY FLEMING’S HALLUCINATION 169 A RESUMED IDENTITY 174 A BABY TRAMP 185 THE NIGHT-DOINGS AT “DEADMAN’S” 194 BEYOND THE WALL 210 A PSYCHOLOGICAL SHIPWRECK 227 THE MIDDLE TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT 235 JOHN MORTONSON’S FUNERAL 252 THE REALM OF THE UNREAL 255 JOHN BARTINE’S WATCH 268 THE DAMNED THING 280 HAÏTA THE SHEPHERD 297 AN INHABITANT OF CARCOSA 308 THE STRANGER 315 THE DEATH OF HALPIN FRAYSER I For by death is wrought greater change than hath been shown. Whereas in general the spirit that removed cometh back upon occasion, and is sometimes seen of those in flesh (appearing in the form of the body it bore) yet it hath happened that the veritable body without the spirit hath walked. And it is attested of those encountering who have lived to speak thereon that a lich so raised up hath no natural affection, nor remembrance thereof, but only hate. Also, it is known that some spirits which in life were benign become by death evil altogether.—_Hali_. ONE dark night in midsummer a man waking from a dreamless sleep in a forest lifted his head from the earth, and staring a few moments into the blackness, said: “Catherine Larue.” He said nothing more; no reason was known to him why he should have said so much.