Before You Begin

Before you begin.

Ted Olson’s “The Conquering Will” appeared in the April 1923 issue of Weird Tales. The story is framed as a manuscript left by Gordon Paige; within it, surveyor Malcolm Rae recounts a government expedition into the remote Canadian wilderness to investigate a tungsten find.

The journey turns from canoe routes and portages to a solitary struggle against injury and the northern winter. Rae’s promise to return to Jane gives the tale a human measure as it tests endurance, belief, and the boundary between body and soul.

This LitLab edition preserves the story as a continuous tale. The internal divisions used for reading and illustration unlocks are editorial aids, not new chapters.