This early work by Robert W. Chambers was originally published in 1896 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography as part of our Cryptofiction Classics series. 'The Man at the Next Table' is a short story about a cat with an unusual identity. Robert William Chambers was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA in 1865. His mother was a direct descendant of Roger Williams, the founder of Providence, Rhode Island, and his brother, Walter Boughton Chambers, was one of the world's most famous architects. Chambers was a hugely prolific author, producing more than seventy novels and short story collections between 1894 and 1933. As a result, he had one of the most successful literary careers of his period, his later novels selling well and a handful achieving best-seller status.