An Act of God

"Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries," a celebrated collection of 19th-century West Virginia crime stories, is regarded as a significant work in American detective fiction, often ranked among the top in the genre. The series features Uncle Abner, an amateur detective, who demonstrates his investigative skill by uncovering clues that challenge assumptions about a deaf-and-dumb man's involvement in a crime. Widely considered one of the best collections of American detective stories, it holds an esteemed place between the works of Poe and Hammett. This story is part of that renowned collection.