In this classic short story by W. W. Jacobs, a young man named John Smith is struggling to make ends meet. He is desperate for money and decides to take a job as a clerk in a small shop. One day, he meets a mysterious stranger who looks exactly like him. The stranger offers John a deal: if John will take his place for a few days, he will pay him a large sum of money. John agrees, and soon finds himself in a strange and dangerous situation. He must pretend to be the stranger, and he soon discovers that the stranger is involved in a criminal enterprise. John must find a way to escape the situation without getting caught, or he will be in serious trouble. In the end, John manages to escape and is rewarded with a large sum of money.
By W. W. Jacobs · First published 1843 · Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Horror