1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales

After winning an archery contest on behalf of the queen, the King decides to renege on his promise to allow Robin and his men a safe journey home, and sends 7 score of armed men to cut off all the roads to Nottingham. Robin sends his men in one direction while he follows another- a choice that saves his men but lands him in trouble more than once. His cunning and some old friends come to the rescue. 
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METhe Blue Cross is the first of G.K. Chesterton's 53 great Father brown short stories, and it introduces two characters that are often used in future stories- French Detective Valentin and the master criminal Flambeau- who will soon be reforming and coming to the good side in future stories. In this story Valentine is after a rare and valuable Blue Cross which he knows Father Brown is carrying with him from a council meeting, and believes the good Father is a simpleton and an easy mark. 
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The Story Summary
In this inaugural Carnacki tale, occult investigator Thomas Carnacki is called to investigate the "Grey Room" in a centuries-old mansion. The room is plagued by a violent, invisible entity that has beaten previous occupants to death.
Unlike traditional ghost hunters, Carnacki uses a blend of ancient ritual and modern technology—specifically his famous "Electric Pentacle." After a terrifying night spent inside the protective barrier, witnessing a massive, disembodied hand attempt to manifest and crush him, Carnacki discovers that the haunting is tied to a historical ring and a "gateway" that was never properly sealed. He eventually succeeds in "shuttering" the spiritual leak, proving that some monsters are not just ghosts, but intruders from another dimension.

Key Themes & Atmosphere
The Scientific Occultist: Carnacki doesn't just use holy water; he uses vacuum tubes, wiring, and photography.
The "Outer Monstrosities": The idea that the universe contains vast, predatory forces that don't care about human morality.
Claustrophobia: The tension of being trapped inside a circle while something powerful prowls just inches away in the dark.
The Legacy: Influence on the Genre
William Hope Hodgson's work, particularly this story, acted as a bridge between Victorian ghost stories and modern horror.
The Blueprint for the "Occult Detective": While there were earlier examples (like Sheridan Le Fanu's Dr. Hesselius), Carnacki perfected the trope. He directly influenced characters like John Constantine (Hellblazer) and the Winchester brothers from Supernatural.
Influence on H.P. Lovecraft: Lovecraft was a massive fan of Hodgson, praising his ability to create "cosmic fear." You can see the DNA of the "Gateway" in Lovecraft's later stories about ancient evils breaking into our reality.
The Technology of Fear: Hodgson was one of the first to suggest that ghosts could be fought with science. This "technobabble" approach to the supernatural is the direct ancestor of the P.K.E. meters and proton packs in Ghostbusters.
Memorable Quote
"It was a hand, a vast, white, slimy hand, and it was reaching out of the center of the room toward me... It was the very essence of some monstrous, outer-world life."

Robin Hood finally achieves his dream of becoming a beggar, at least for a day, and in the process outwits and outfights a number of scoundrels who end up contributing their wealth to the cause. 
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"A Love Passage" is a lighthearted maritime comedy from W.W. Jacobs' 1896 collection, Many Cargoes, that satirizes the bumbling romantic efforts of sailors. 
The Plot
The story follows the mate of a schooner who decides, with somewhat clinical detachment, that it is time for him to fall in love. When the skipper brings his daughter on board for a voyage, the mate sees an opportunity and begins an exaggerated performance of romance. 
Performing "Love": The mate's idea of courtship is highly theatrical; he begins to mope, loses his appetite, and spends an inordinate amount of time washing and preening, much to the annoyance of the skipper.
The Misunderstanding: Most of his "lovelorn" gazing goes unnoticed by the girl. While the mate believes he is deep in a profound, melancholy romance, the girl remains oblivious or merely amused by his strange behavior.
The Climax: The humor peaks when the mate's attempts to appear sophisticated or "stricken" by love conflict with his actual duties on the ship, leading to comical friction with the crew and the skipper. 
Key Themes
Performance vs. Reality: The mate is more in love with the idea of being in love than with the girl herself.
Nautical Life: Jacobs uses his signature dockside vernacular and maritime setting to ground the absurdity of the "love passage" in the gritty reality of life on a schooner.