The Old Die Rich

"The Old Die Rich" by H. L. Gold is a science fiction story from the 1950s that follows Mark Weldon, an actor consumed by the puzzling deaths of wealthy seniors who starve themselves. His hunt to explain this phenomenon brings him to May Roberts, a mysterious figure using time travel in a devious plot that exploits the elderly, causing their demise. Starting with Weldon at the somber scene of a starvation death, the tale explores the motivations of these old people. Roberts tempts Weldon with riches through her time machine, he faces big moral dilemmas and risks of time travel, creating a suspenseful study of how far people will go to survive.