REH’s Writings

Exact textual stateDraft

The Dragon of Kao Tsu

StateDraft 4Surviving witnesses1TSS catalogue units19

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

Betty ElstonBetty Elston — Marianne Allison's society rival and antique collectorMentionedfirst: Marianne complains about Betty Elston's Ming vase.Bull DaviesBull Davies — large seaman/agent pursuing the ivory figureOn Pagefirst: Introduces himself in the warehouse.General KaiGeneral Kai — Chinese political/military figure on the other side of the concession agreementMentionedfirst: Named in the final exposition as the warlord behind the competing claim.Jum ChinJum Chin — Chinese servant/henchman of the shareef; secretly takes the contract figureOn Pagefirst: Ahmed orders Jum Chin to lift Marianne from the cellar.MarianneMarianne Allison — wealthy American woman who hires Clanton to obtain the elephant/dragonOn Pagefirst: Opening pages identify her as Old Man Allison's daughter Marianne.Ram LalRam Lal — thief hired through Clanton to steal the ivory figureOn Pagefirst: Named in the opening discussion; corpse is later found in the warehouse.Old Man AllisonRichard J. Allison — Marianne Allison's wealthy father; principal in the concession agreementMentionedfirst: Repeatedly referred to as Marianne's old man/father in the exposition.Shareef AhmedShareef Ahmed — holder/broker of the disputed ivory figure and antagonist in The Dragon of Kao TsuOn Pagefirst: First named in the opening discussion and later appears at the warehouse.Wild Bill ClantonWild Bill ClantonOn Pagefirst: Opening paragraph.YakubYakub — elderly Jewish silk-shop keeper consulted by Clanton about the carved figureOn Pagefirst: Clanton visits Yakub with the Kao Tsu dragon.

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 4 — surviving Howard typescriptHoward typescript

Extent19 pagesCompletenessComplete

Physical extent: Complete 19-page untitled typescript on yellow paper; apparently final draft

TSS: 50892–50910

Complete untitled Howard typescript on yellow paper.

Additional documentary notes

Untitled Witness: First Cuts describes Draft 4 as untitled. (witness level)
Paper Stock: The typescript is on yellow paper. (whole witness)
Possible Final Draft: First Cuts states that Draft 4 appears to be the final draft. (witness level) · Possible

Source: First Cuts: The Veiled Manuscripts v1.4, The Dragon of Kao Tsu, Editorial Notes p. 345; Draft 4 pp. 389–404

Published in

The Veiled Manuscripts - First Cuts: The Drafts and FragmentsREH Foundation PressJune 2026 (paperback) est. July 27, 2026 (hardcover)↗