A mystery in the 'old fashioned' romantic genre, introducing characters that inspired another famous writer of detective mystery fiction. The heroine of the tale is Lilly Fairfield, a young and naïve, orphaned heiress. Lilly is to stay with her Countess Aunt in Monte Carlo for a few months, she was acquainted with her Aunt Emmeline as she had lived with her in England when Lilly was a young girl. The countess resides now with her husband at the uncannily named 'La Solitude', a rather down at heal, secluded and mysterious estate. Traveling by train she becomes acquainted with a middle aged French man and his traveling companion, a young Captain of the London Scottish regiment. The family seems to have fallen on hard times and their behaviour seems odd, and Lilly must call upon the help of her traveling friends when a body is found in the grounds of the estate. A mystery thus begins to unfold. - Summary by Andy Sames