William Sydney Porter (1862–1910), an American writer, used the pen name O. Henry. He was born in North Carolina, but later moved to Texas, where he worked in many fields, including banking. He was indicted for embezzlement and fled to Honduras. Upon hearing that his wife was on her deathbed, he returned to Texas to see her and turned himself in to the authorities. He was tried, found guilty, and sent to prison. During his three years in prison he began to write short stories. O. Henry published fourteen volumes of stories in his lifetime. He is recognized as a master of mechanical plots and is known for his surprise twist endings.