Review: Horror: “Four Wooden Stakes” by Victor Rowan

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Jack gets a brief letter from his old friend Remson Holroyd asking him to come for old time’s sake. He’s all alone. He concludes with a promise to explain when he arrives. The two had not seen each other since college graduation. Having just concluded a case that had the police stumped, Jack feels he’s entitled to a little relaxation. Plus, he’d like to see how Holroyd is getting on. Once at the station at the nearest town, he finds the drivers reluctant to take him to the Holroyd place. He walks. When he gets to the house, he notices a mausoleum with gravestones around it. He finds this an odd arrangement. At first no on answers the door. Then finally, Remson himself comes. He’s much worse for wear. He’s lost his entire family, starting with Grandad, who never quite recovered from that attack by vampire bats in South America. He feels he’s going, too, but can’t figure out why or how to stop it. Can Jack help? The rest of the story holds no surprise, but it is a bit of fun. The four stakes of the title are not to hold up a tent, shall I say. And Remson is a bit hysterical. I was torn between feeling terrible for him—the poor devil has just lost his entire family—and slapping him across the face. I was not able to find and bio info on author Victor Rowan. This story is available on Project Gutenberg Australia (maybe Victor Rowan is/was and Aussie?): _____ Title: “Four Wooden Stakes” Author: Victor Rowan at the moment, no bio info available First published: Weird Tales February 1925 Source: ISFDB