The Duplicity of Hargraves

The story 'Hargraves' Cunning' was written by the American writer O. Henry (1862-1910). Major Talbot is a battle-hardened old southerner. Arriving in Washington, he decides to stay in a furnished house where the actor Henry Hargraves once lived. The author of stories with an unexpected ending, O. Henry is known for a number of short stories: 'The Order of the Golden Ring', 'The Diamond of the Goddess Kali', 'A Thousand Dollars', 'The Detectives', 'The Gold That Glittered', 'The Bagdad Bird', 'The Scarlet Dress' and 'Comfort'. O. Henry, whose real name was William Sydney Porter, is considered the founder of the 'fairy tale of the big city' genre, where sparkling humor is combined with deep philosophical meaning.