Lyra Doctorum: Carmina Lyrica a Viris Doctis Recentiorum Temporum Composita (1886)

Fred Spencer finds his world shaken when his path crosses that of a man on a mission of crime. A gentle man in a quiet town, Spencer suspects nothing and tries only to put the matter behind him and resume the life he enjoys. The criminal, Sidney Ross, is calculating and mean-spirited, working as a collector in the drug trade. He is determined to protect his obscure and profitable life by eliminating any loose ends he encounters. The advantage is his, as he pursues an unsuspecting foe in Spencer who slowly becomes suspicious when his life does not return to normal.