The Alex Toth Reader #[nn]

In "Images of Sand," French gambler Henri Monard, down on his luck in Northern Africa, hears whispers of a Tuareg treasure buried in the Sahara. Driven by desperation and greed, he takes a dangerous path through the desert, claiming the prize and returning to Paris to live in lavish excess—only to find that the desert’s ancient curse, the Djenoun, follows him like a shadow.

In "I Want Him Back," Millie, once a diligent office worker, trades her job for marriage to Larry, only to find herself slipping into apathy and neglecting her home. When Larry abruptly leaves, blaming her for becoming a lazy, self-indulgent woman, she sets out to change—reclaiming her sense of purpose and restoring her household. As she rebuilds her life, the question lingers: can she win him back, or has she lost him for good?

In "The Blood Money of Galloping Chad Burgess," Dr. Paul Furness and his wife venture into the English countryside chasing the myth of a notorious 18th-century highwayman and his buried gold. What begins as a scholarly pursuit quickly spirals into a terrifying encounter with the spectral figure himself, as the past refuses to stay buried.

In "The Man Who Was Always on Time!", Darland Fanshaw, a man obsessed with time and precision, commits a cold-blooded murder to claim a legendary Cellini time-piece. When the ghosts of his victims rise to reclaim justice, Fanshaw is transformed into a permanent fixture on the town’s clock tower—frozen in time, forever punctual.

In "My Dream Is You!", Pamela Mason, eager to find love without the shadow of her upcoming inheritance, finds herself drawn to Martin Shaw—only to doubt his intentions when he asks her to wait until September. As their relationship unfolds, misunderstandings brew, leading her to seek comfort in the familiar warmth of old friend Herb Nelson. When a chance encounter reveals the truth behind Martin’s plans, long-held fears are tested and emotions come to a head—leaving hearts open to a second chance.

In "Shattered Dream!", a young woman named Wendy finds unexpected romance with farmer Jed during a country getaway, but their budding relationship faces a test when a delayed engagement party sparks a sudden breakup. Months later, a quiet visit to Jed’s farm reveals a touching gesture that may just mend what was broken.