Tictocq by O. Henry. Short summary

5 seconds

Detective Ticktock investigates the theft of socks from a People’s Party candidate. Ticktock proves that the crime was planned by the chairman of the Democratic Committee who approached him for help.

1 minute

Detective Ticktock, under an assumed name, was staying at an Austin hotel. He had an important errand from the government. A well-dressed gentleman knocked on his door. He turned out to be the chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee.

He claimed that his friend was in trouble. In Room 76 of this hotel a candidate of the People’s Party was staying. Last night an unknown person had stolen his socks and they could not be found. If they are not found, the People’s Party will blame the theft on the Democratic Party.

Ticktock tells the man to come here tomorrow along with the innkeeper, the stolen candidate and witnesses. He promises to return the socks to the host.

The detective interrogates the hotel staff and visits the police department. He believes that the thief has wrapped the socks in paper and goes to the Statesman newspaper. The salesman describes to him the description of the customer who had purchased the newspaper the day before. In the end, the detective proves that the crime was the work of the chairman of the Democratic Committee.