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With love from a bad man

Short Story, 6,182 words

Chris Hampton goes to Acaibo in Parador to propose marriage to Pat Dwyer. She accepts, but he insults the local rebel army commander, Major Solito, who is getting amorous with Pat. Fleeing in a stolen launch, Chris and Pat are intercepted, court-martialled and sentenced to death. But Major Solito might pardon them if he can have his wicked way with Pat. Will Chris manage to save his life and her honour?

This is a candidate for the worst story Canning ever wrote, with wooden characters, clichéed writing and negligible plotting. He seems to be writing down to what he perceives to be the intellectual level of Weekend readers.

Weekend, 29 March, 1959