“Derrick’s Return,” an adventure of the spirit unhampered by the body, illustrates in rollicking yet serious vein a philosophy of heaven and hell. The author’s concept of dimensions in time and place after death should be compared with that of May Sinclair in the final one of her “Uncanny Stories.” It was to be expected that Einstein’s theories of relativity would find ultimate translation into fiction, but hardly that resultant or similar theories would so instantly express themselves. Mr. Morris, as is true of Miss Sinclair, has so long since become master of telling a story in the large as to insure free play for finer thought processes, processes which distinguish the result as that of a unique personality. So in “Derrick’s Return” these thought radiations penetrate the confines of infinity and, charged with messages of the absolute, return to electrify and to entertain. * * * * * In this Introduction, the Chairman has indicated, without attempt at discussion, the wide range of present-day American short stories and the consequent labour in reading them all; their cosmopolitan characteristics, and their superiority in the average over stories of a generation ago. Further, the current of American fiction bears on its bosom the heritage of all the racial streams which have united to form it. Again, the American concept of life demands a completeness of struggle and sense of form associated with an underlying philosophy, not negative and pessimistic, but positive and optimistic. To you who read, aware of the significant contribution American brief fiction adds to world entertainment and world literature, yet have not time to acquaint yourselves with the yearly thousands of short stories: gathering these covers full of the representative best is one reward of the Committee. Another reward is that of insuring comparatively permanent form to the group. Still a third reward lies in the bestowal of the annual prizes. These awards, the Treasurer of the Society, Mr. Melvin C. Hascall, states in a letter to the Chairman of this Committee, the Society expects to increase for the year 1924. For 1923, the Committee of Award consisted of: BLANCHE COLTON WILLIAMS, Chairman ETHEL WATTS MUMFORD FRANCES GILCHRIST WOOD, Litt. D. GROVE WILSON WILLIAM GRIFFITH The Committee of Administration: MELVIN C. HASCALL, Treasurer Society Arts and Sciences GEORGE C. HOWARD, Attorney GLENN FRANK, Editor of the _Century_. As before, the Committee are grateful to editors, readers and authors without whose coöperation this annual volume would be impossible. BLANCHE COLTON WILLIAMS. _New York City, January, 1924._ _O. HENRY MEMORIAL AWARD PRIZE STORIES of 1923_ PRELUDE BY EDGAR VALENTINE SMITH From _Harper’s_