Textual identity is not textual authority. “Catalogue primary/default” selects the default catalogue representation; it does not mean that this wording is automatically Howard’s most authoritative text.
Characters in this exact text
Jim AllisonJim Allison — neighbor and Richard Wilkinson's only claimed friendOn Pagefirst: Household commotion.Joash SullivanJoash Sullivan — elderly enemy of the Wilkinsons and friend/informant of Joel MiddletonOn Pagefirst: Road to the graveyard.Job WilkinsonJob Wilkinson — Peter Wilkinson's grandfather who murdered Wolf HunterMentionedfirst: Wolf Hunter backstory.Joel MiddletonJoel Middleton — outlaw who killed John Wilkinson during the family feudOn Pagefirst: Opening backstory; later appears physically.John WilkinsonJohn Wilkinson — eldest Wilkinson brother murdered by Joel Middleton before the main actionOn Pagefirst: Early surviving pages; severed head physically present.McVeyMcVey — Marshal of Lost Knob in Graveyard RatsOn Pagefirst: Opening backstory; later appears physically.Peter WilkinsonPeter Wilkinson — Wilkinson brother who brings Harrison into the case and is later murderedOn Pagefirst: Early surviving pages.RichardRichard Wilkinson — youngest Wilkinson brother and concealed murderer behind the Wolf Hunter disguiseOn Pagefirst: Wilkinson household scenes.Saul WilkinsonSaul Wilkinson — Wilkinson brother driven insane by the appearance of John's severed headOn Pagefirst: Beginning of surviving Draft 1.Steve HarrisonSteve Harrison — private detective and central protagonist of Lord of the DeadOn Pagefirst: Surviving Draft 1 opening pages.Uncle JobUncle Job — Wilkinson relative said in Draft 1 to have left the Wild River farm jointly to the brothersMentionedfirst: Richard's inheritance argument.Wolf HunterWolf Hunter — historical Tonkawa chief murdered by a Wilkinson ancestorMentionedfirst: Joash Sullivan's warning.
Surviving manuscript evidence
The records below describe surviving physical typescripts, carbons, manuscript material and documentary catalogue evidence for this exact textual state. TSS numbers identify physical catalogue units; they are not story or draft IDs.
Draft 1 — surviving faint Howard carbonHoward carbon copy
Extent35 pagesCompletenessIncomplete
Physical extent: 35 surviving pages; first page missing; unknown number missing after manuscript page 36
TSS: 51223–51257
Untitled faint carbon copy. The surviving run corresponds to manuscript pages after the lost first page through page 36; page 36 is itself misnumbered 35.
Additional documentary notes
- Untitled Witness: Draft 1 is untitled. (witness level)
- Carbon Copy: The surviving Draft 1 witness is a faint carbon copy. (witness level)
- Missing page: The first manuscript page is missing. (manuscript page 1)
- Pagination Anomaly: Page 36 is incorrectly numbered 35. (manuscript page 36)
- Missing Ending Pages: An unknown number of later pages are missing. (after surviving manuscript page 36)
Source: Hardboiled Manuscripts, Volume 2 v0.77, Graveyard Rats Editorial Notes p. 137; Draft 1 pp. 139–169