The Theory and the Hound

On the languid tropical isle of Ratona, U.S. consul J. P. Bridger witnesses a most unusual manhunt. Taylor Plunkett, a soft-spoken Kentucky sheriff, arrives to arrest a fugitive wife-killer—only to find that two American coconut planters fit the description perfectly. Over a convivial dinner filled with banter, bravado, and O. Henry’s sly humor, suspicion shifts and doubles back—until a shocking test with a friendly hound exposes the killer’s nature in one unforgettable instant. O. Henry blends sunlit atmosphere, brisk storytelling, and a sting-in-the-tail twist to explore character, justice, and the masks people wear. Narrated with crisp, character-rich delivery by John Young, this classic short story is a quick, satisfying listen for fans of literary crime, ironic reversals, and tales that leave you thinking long after the final line.