Henry de Vere Stacpoole (1863-1951) was a Victorian period author, born in Kingstown, Ireland. A ship's doctor for more than forty years, Stacpoole was also an expert on the South Pacific islands. His many books contained detailed descriptions of the natural life and civilizations which he was so close to at home. Abstract It was a warm, grey, moist evening, typical Irish weather, and Miss Berknowles was curled up in a window-seat of the library reading a book. Kilgobbin Park lay outside with the rooks cawing in the trees, miles of park land across which the dusk was coming, blotting out all things from Arranakilty to the Slieve Bloom Mountains.