A condemned man, facing execution, seeks to share his story with the prison Chaplain, asserting that his fate stems from a lack of specialization in his education and character. He recounts his infatuation with a local doctor's wife, which leads him to a desperate act of identity theft after he stumbles upon a dead body on the road. The corpse belongs to a Salvation Army captain, and the condemned sees an opportunity to escape his life by assuming the dead man's identity. After changing clothes with the corpse, he attempts to start anew but soon discovers that he is now a suspect in a murder investigation. His identity theft is complicated by the fact that the real murderer remains at large, and the police are tracking him based on the bloodhounds' pursuit. The man finds himself in a bizarre situation where he is both a fugitive and a victim of mistaken identity, as he is unable to prove his innocence due to his lack of specialized knowledge. As he wanders from town to town, he faces increasing scrutiny and suspicion from the public, who recognize him as the supposed murderer. His attempts to change his clothing and escape the incriminating uniform are thwarted by the hostile reactions of shopkeepers. The media frenzy surrounding the case only exacerbates his plight, as he becomes a pawn in a public spectacle. The condemned's situation worsens when he is unable to convincingly assert his identity during a trial, as he struggles to answer questions about the Salvation Army captain's life and background. His lack of specific knowledge leads to his downfall, culminating in a courtroom scene where he mistakenly identifies a location, sealing his fate. The prosecution's evidence against him is overwhelming, and he is ultimately sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. In the end, he reflects on the absurdity of his situation, realizing that he is to be executed for the murder of a man whose identity he had assumed. The Chaplain, upon leaving the condemned's cell, contemplates the randomness of fate and the fragility of identity, recognizing that such a bizarre turn of events could happen to anyone.
By Saki · First published 1918 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Dark Comedy, Psychological Fiction