Synopsis
An inquest into a violent death uncovers evidence of an inhuman creature. A coroner and his court listen to the testimony of a journalist who witnessed a strange, violent attack on a terror-stricken woodsman who was mauled to death by a creature so well camouflaged that it couldn't be seen.
Notes
- First published in Town Topics, Dec 7, 1893.
- Reprinted in the San Francisco Examiner, September 13, 1896.
External Links
Publications (151)
| Date | Publication | Publisher | Type | Page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | In the Midst of Life: Tales of Soldiers and Civilians | G. P. Putnam's Sons | Collection | 325 | |
| 1905 | Short Story Classics (American) | P. F. Collier & Son | Anthology | 1303 | |
| 1910 | Can Such Things Be? | The Neale Publishing Company | Collection | 280 | |
| 1918 | Can Such Things Be? | Boni & Liveright | Collection | 280 | |
| 1919 |
|
The Best Ghost Stories | Boni & Liveright | Anthology | 160 |
| 1922 | Five Great Ghost Stories | Haldeman-Julius | Anthology | |4 | |
| September 1923 |
|
Weird Tales, September 1923 | The Rural Publishing Corp. | MAGAZINE | 70 |
| 1924 | Can Such Things Be? | Albert & Charles Boni | Collection | 280 | |
| 1925 | Ten Tales | The First Edition Club | Collection | 79 | |
| 1926 |
|
Tales of Ghouls and Ghosts | Haldeman-Julius | Collection | |3 |
| 1928 |
|
American Ghost Stories | Houghton Mifflin | Anthology | 124 |
| 1931 | The Supernatural Omnibus | Doubleday, Doran | Anthology | 482 | |
| July 1931 | Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror, Second Series | Gollancz | Anthology | 559 | |
| 1932 | The Second Omnibus of Crime | Coward-McCann | Anthology | ||
| July 1932 | Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror, Second Series | Gollancz | Anthology | 559 | |
| 1935 |
|
A Century of Thrillers: Second Series | Daily Express Publications | Anthology | 513 |
| January 1937 | Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror, Second Series | Gollancz | Anthology | 559 | |
| June 1939 | The Second Omnibus of Crime: The World's Great Crime Stories | Blue Ribbon Books | Anthology | ||
| 1940 | Great Ghost Stories | New Era | Anthology | ||
| 1943 |
|
Tales of Soldiers and Civilians | Heritage Press | Collection | 99 |
| October 1943 |
|
Tales of Terror | World Publishing Co. | Anthology | 70 |
| 1944 | Famous Ghost Stories | Modern Library | Anthology | 32 | |
| 1946 |
|
Bar the Doors: Terror Stories | Dell | Anthology | 98 |
| 1947 |
|
The Golden Argosy: A Collection of the Most Celebrated Short Stories in the English Language | The Dial Press | Anthology | 56 |
| 1947 | Ghost Stories (selected) | Happy Hour Library | Anthology | ||
| January 1948 | Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror, Second Series | Gollancz | Anthology | 559 | |
| February 1949 | Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror, Second Series | Gollancz | Anthology | 559 | |
| 1954 |
|
The Treasury of Science Fiction Classics | Hanover House | Anthology | 679 |
| 1954 |
|
The Treasury of Science Fiction Classics | Hanover House / SFBC | Anthology | 679 |
| 1955 |
|
The Golden Argosy: A Collection of the Most Celebrated Short Stories in the English Language | The Dial Press | Anthology | 56 |
| 1955 |
|
The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter and Other Stories | Avon | Collection | |6 |
| 1956 |
|
Famous Ghost Stories | Modern Library | Anthology | 32 |
| 1962 |
|
Famous Ghost Stories | Vintage Books | Anthology | |
| January 1962 |
|
Bar the Doors | Dell | Anthology | 116 |
| February 1963 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Bar the Doors | Dell | Anthology | 116 | |
| 1964 |
|
Ghost and Horror Stories of Ambrose Bierce | Dover Publications | Collection | |
| December 1965 |
|
The Hell of Mirrors | Four Square Books | Anthology | 91 |
| 1966 |
|
The Second Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories | Fontana | Anthology | 213 |
| 1966 |
|
Masterpieces of Horror | Hart Publishing | Anthology | 185 |
| 1966 |
|
Masterpieces of Horror | Hart Publishing | Anthology | 185 |
| January 1966 | Bar the Doors | Dell | Anthology | 116 | |
| 1967 |
|
Famous Monster Tales | D. Van Nostrand Company | Anthology | 135 |
| April 1969 |
|
The Second Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories | Fontana | Anthology | 213 |
| 1970 |
|
The Complete Short Stories of Ambrose Bierce | Doubleday | Collection | 97 |
| August 1970 |
|
The Second Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories | Fontana | Anthology | 213 |
| 1971 |
|
Tales of Soldiers and Civilians | The Easton Press | Collection | 99 |
| September 1971 |
|
The Second Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories | Beagle Books | Anthology | 213 |
| 1972 |
|
Alfred Hitchcock's Bar the Doors | Mayflower | Anthology | 104 |
| 1972 |
|
Two Terror Tales | Listening Library | Anthology | |1 |
| September 1972 |
|
A Spectrum of Worlds | Doubleday | Anthology | 35 |
| 1973 |
|
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and The Damned Thing | Caedmon | Collection | |2 |
| May 1973 |
|
The Second Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories | Fontana | Anthology | 213 |
| 1974 |
|
The Second Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories | Fontana | Anthology | 213 |
| 1974 |
|
Can Such Things Be? | Citadel Press | Collection | 139 |
| June 1976 |
|
The Second Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories | Fontana | Anthology | 213 |
| 1977 |
|
Thirteen Famous Ghost Stories | J. M. Dent | Anthology | 26 |
| 1977 |
|
Stories That Go Bump in the Night | Random House | Anthology | |
| 1977 |
|
Thirteen Famous Ghost Stories | J. M. Dent | Anthology | 26 |
| 1977 |
|
Alfred Hitchcock's Bar the Doors | Mayflower | Anthology | 104 |
| September 1977 |
|
From Gilgamesh to Wells | Mentor / New American Library | Anthology | 347 |
| January 1978 | Stories That Go Bump in the Night | Random House / BCE | Anthology | 1 | |
| 1980 | Campfire Chillers | East Woods Press | Anthology | 107 | |
| 1980 |
|
Famous Tales of Terror | Watermill Press | Anthology | 120 |
| August 1980 | 50 Great American Short Stories | Bantam Books | Anthology | 61 | |
| 1982 |
|
65 Great Spine Chillers | Octopus Books | Anthology | 67 |
| 1982 |
|
65 Great Spine Chillers | Octopus Books / Marks and Spencer | Anthology | 67 |
| November 1982 |
|
Great Short Tales of Mystery and Terror | Reader's Digest Association | Anthology | 271 |
| 1983 |
|
65 Great Spine Chillers | Octopus Books | Anthology | 67 |
| 1984 |
|
Campfire Chillers | East Woods Press | Anthology | 107 |
| 1984 |
|
The Complete Short Stories of Ambrose Bierce | University of Nebraska Press | Collection | 97 |
| 1984 | The Best of Ambrose Bierce | Castle / Book Sales | Omnibus | 313 | |
| 1985 |
|
65 Great Spine Chillers | Octopus Books | Anthology | 67 |
| June 1986 |
|
101 Science Fiction Stories | Avenel Books | Anthology | 79 |
| September 1987 |
|
Tales of the Dark #2 | St. Martin's Press | Anthology | 28 |
| October 1987 |
|
The Dark Descent | Tor | Anthology | 880 |
| December 1987 |
|
The Devil's Advocate: An Ambrose Bierce Reader | Chronicle Books | Omnibus | 199 |
| 1988 |
|
The Collected Writings of Ambrose Bierce | Picador / Pan Books | Omnibus | 519 |
| August 1988 |
|
The Dark Descent | Tor / BOMC | Anthology | 880 |
| April 1990 |
|
Can Such Things Be? | Citadel Press | Collection | |
| July 1991 |
|
The Horror Hall of Fame | Carroll & Graf | Anthology | 71 |
| September 1991 |
|
A Fabulous Formless Darkness | HarperCollins (UK) | Anthology | 280 |
| September 1991 |
|
A Fabulous Formless Darkness | HarperCollins (UK) | Anthology | 280 |
| 1992 | A Fabulous Formless Darkness | Grafton | Anthology | 470 | |
| 1992 |
|
The Giant Book of Science Fiction Stories | Magpie Books | Anthology | 79 |
| January 1992 |
|
A Fabulous Formless Darkness | Tor | Anthology | 388 |
| January 1992 |
|
The Horror Hall of Fame | Carroll & Graf / SFBC | Anthology | 71 |
| September 1992 |
|
The Horror Hall of Fame | Robert Hale | Anthology | 71 |
| December 1992 |
|
The Horror Hall of Fame | Carroll & Graf | Anthology | 71 |
| November 1993 |
|
H. P. Lovecraft's Book of Horror | Barnes & Noble Books | Anthology | 202 |
| 1994 |
|
The American Short Story: A Treasury of the Memorable and Familiar by the Great American Writers from Washington Irving to Saul Bellow | State Street Press | Anthology | 284 |
| 1994 |
|
The American Short Story: A Treasury of the Memorable and Familiar by the Great American Writers from Washington Irving to Saul Bellow | Galahad Books | Anthology | 284 |
| April 1994 |
|
H. P. Lovecraft's Book of Horror | Robinson | Anthology | 202 |
| August 1994 |
|
100 Creepy Little Creatures | Barnes & Noble Books | Anthology | 91 |
| October 1994 |
|
Thrillers: A Classic Collection | Bracken Books | Anthology | 381 |
| July 1995 |
|
100 Creepy Little Creatures | Barnes & Noble Books | Anthology | 91 |
| 1996 |
|
Thrillers: A Classic Collection | Leopard | Anthology | 381 |
| December 1996 |
|
American Gothic Tales | Plume / Penguin | Anthology | 121 |
| 1997 | American Gothic Tales | Plume / Penguin / BCE | Anthology | 121 | |
| January 1997 |
|
Can Such Things Be? | Wordsworth Editions | Collection | |
| February 1997 |
|
The Dark Descent | Tor | Anthology | 880 |
| July 2000 |
|
The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy | Prentice-Hall | Anthology | 80 |
| October 2002 |
|
The Colour Out of Space | New York Review of Books | Anthology | 43 |
| November 2002 |
|
From Gilgamesh to Wells | Scarecrow Press | Anthology | 307 |
| November 2002 |
|
From Gilgamesh to Wells | Scarecrow Press | Anthology | |20 |
| 2003 |
|
The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy | Prentice-Hall | Anthology | 80 |
| August 2003 | Can Such Things Be? | Project Gutenberg | Collection | |21 | |
| 2004 |
|
The Wordsworth Book of Horror Stories | Wordsworth Editions | Anthology | 44 |
| March 2004 |
|
The World's Greatest Horror Stories | Barnes & Noble Books | Anthology | 202 |
| March 2006 | The Best Ghost Stories | Project Gutenberg | Anthology | 160 | |
| October 2007 | The Damned Thing | Project Gutenberg | Chapbook | ||
| 2008 |
|
H. P. Lovecraft's Book of Horror | Fall River Press | Anthology | 240 |
| January 2008 |
|
Great Horror Stories: Tales by Stoker, Poe, Lovecraft and Others | Dover Publications | Anthology | |
| January 2008 |
|
Great Horror Stories: Tales by Stoker, Poe, Lovecraft and Others | Dover Publications | Anthology | 115 |
| October 2008 |
|
The Spook House: Terrifying Tales of the Macabre | Penguin Books | Collection | 1 |
| 2009 |
|
A Spectrum Unseen: Invisible Men, Women, and Creatures in Classic Science Fiction and Fantasy | Coachwhip Publications | Anthology | 223 |
| 2009 |
|
Bierce After Dark: 30 Strange Tales by Ambrose Bierce | Coachwhip Publications | Collection | 95 |
| June 2010 |
|
Short Science Fiction Collection 37 | LibriVox | Anthology | |4 |
| September 2010 |
|
Horrific Fables | Horrific Books | Anthology | 15 |
| November 2010 |
|
Short Ghost and Horror Story Collection 11 | LibriVox | Anthology | |1 |
| April 2011 |
|
Short Ghost and Horror Story Collection 13 | LibriVox | Anthology | |18 |
| June 2011 |
|
Horrific Fables | Horrific Books | Anthology | 15 |
| August 2011 |
|
M Is for Monster: A Modern Bestiary of Classic Monsters | Fall River Press | Anthology | 165 |
| September 2011 |
|
Short Ghost and Horror Story Collection 14 | LibriVox | Anthology | |3 |
| May 2012 |
|
Can Such Things Be? | LibriVox | Collection | |
| May 2012 |
|
Short Ghost and Horror Story Collection 16 | LibriVox | Anthology | |13 |
| May 2012 |
|
Can Such Things Be? | Collection | |280 | |
| July 2012 |
|
Ambrose Bierce: Masters of the Weird Tale | Centipede Press | Collection | |
| August 2012 |
|
Ancient Terrors | Yurei Press | Anthology | 81 |
| December 2012 |
|
The Best Ghost Stories | CreateSpace | Anthology | |
| September 2013 |
|
The Haunts & Horrors Megapack: 31 Modern & Classic Stories | Wildside Press | Anthology | |13 |
| July 2014 | The Best Ghost Stories | Liongate Press | Anthology | ||
| July 2014 |
|
The Damned Thing | HarperPerennial Classics | Chapbook | |
| July 2014 |
|
The Best Ghost Stories | Didactic Press | Anthology | |
| December 2014 |
|
The Damned Thing | Cryptofiction Classics | Chapbook | |
| July 2015 |
|
The Best Ghost Stories | CreateSpace | Anthology | 199 |
| August 2015 |
|
Chilling Horror | Flame Tree Publishing | Anthology | 19 |
| October 2015 |
|
Shadows of Carcosa: Tales of Cosmic Horror | New York Review of Books | Anthology | 43 |
| March 2016 |
|
LampLight, March 2016 | Apokrupha | MAGAZINE | 126 |
| November 2016 |
|
Chilling Horror | Flame Tree Publishing | Anthology | |19 |
| November 2016 |
|
The Dead Valley and Others | Dark Regions Press | Anthology | |
| May 2017 | Tales to Terrify, No 277 | District of Wonders | MAGAZINE | ||
| June 2017 |
|
HorrorBabble's Classic Horror: Volume 1 | HorrorBabble | Anthology | |9 |
| June 2017 |
|
LampLight: Volume 4 | Apokrupha | Anthology | 336 |
| June 2017 |
|
HorrorBabble's Classic Horror: Volume 1 | HorrorBabble | Anthology | |9 |
| July 2017 |
|
Great Supernatural Stories: 101 Horrifying Tales | Fall River Press | Anthology | 154 |
| November 2017 |
|
Horror Short Stories | Arcturus Publishing | Anthology | |
| March 2018 |
|
Horror Short Stories | Arcturus Publishing | Anthology | |
| 2019 |
|
Weird Tales | Pulp Classics on DVD | Anthology | 70|10202070 |
| April 2023 |
|
The Ways of Ghosts: And Other Dark Tales | British Library Publishing | Collection | 129 |
| March 2024 |
|
Tales of Horror | Lyons Press | Anthology | |1 |
| March 2024 |
|
Tales of Horror | Lyons Press | Anthology | |1 |