The Heads of Cerberus – A vial of the Dust of Purgatory transports several people to the gateway dimension of Ulithia. From there they journey to the hell of Philadelphia in 2118. The Heads of Cerberus (1919) Part One Chapter I. “Welcome, However You Come!” Chapter II. “Dust of Purgatory.” Chapter III. Arrivals And Departures. Chapter IV. Where The Gray Dust Led. Chapter V. The Weaver Of The Years. Part Two Synopsis Of Preceding Chapters. Chapter VI. A Matter Of Buttons. Chapter VII. A Few Small Changes. Chapter VIII. Legal Procedure Expedited. Chapter IX. The Pit Of The Past. Part Three Synopsis Of Preceding Chapters. Chapter X. The Fourth Victim. Chapter XI. Mine And Countermine. Chapter XII. The New City. Chapter XIII. Penn Service. Chapter XIV. The Threat Of Penn. Part Four Synopsis Of Preceding Chapters. Chapter XV. The Justice Of Penn Service. Chapter XVI. Disaster. Chapter XVII. Their Last Chance Part Five Synopsis Of Preceding Chapters. Chapter XVIII. The Sword And The Bell. Chapter XIX. Trenmore Strikes. Chapter XX. Transferred Home. Chapter XXI. The Last Of The Gray Dust. The Heads of Cerberus was published in five parts in The Thrill Book beginning with the August 15, 1919 issue. Francis Stevens was the pen-name of Gertrude Barrows Bennett (1883-1948). Bennett has been credited as having “the best claim at creating the new genre of dark fantasy”. Bennett was the first major female writer of fantasy and science fiction in the United States, and has been called the most important female fantasy writer between Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and C.L. Moore. It has been said that she influenced both H.P. Lovecraft and A. Merritt, both of whom “emulated Bennett’s earlier style and themes.”
