Produced by David T. Jones, woodie4, Al Haines & the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net [Illustration: "So!" she whispered. "They will know from whom that rose comes." FRONTISPIECE. _See page_ 148.] THE SEVEN CONUNDRUMS BY E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY WALLACE MORGAN TORONTO McCLELLAND AND STEWART 1923 _Copyright, 1923_, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. _All rights reserved_ Published February, 1923 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS Introduction PAGE THE COMPACT 3 Conundrum Number One THE STOLEN MINUTE BOOK 15 Conundrum Number Two WHAT HAPPENED AT BATH 39 Conundrum Number Three THE SPIDER'S PARLOUR 97 Conundrum Number Four THE COURTSHIP OF NAIDA 131 Conundrum Number Five THE TRAGEDY AT GREYMARSHES 167 Conundrum Number Six THE DUKE'S DILEMMA 205 Conundrum Number Seven THE GREATEST ARGUMENT 243 ILLUSTRATIONS "So!" she whispered. "They will know from whom that rose comes" _Frontispiece_ PAGE There were shrieks from the women, and some of the men, amongst them myself, hurried towards the staircase 64 "Don't be a fool," I answered. "There's a submerged rock right across here" 191 There seemed to be an almost universal gasp of astonishment 216 THE SEVEN CONUNDRUMS INTRODUCTION THE COMPACT The wind, storming up from the sea, beat against the frail little wooden building till every rafter creaked and groaned. The canvas sides flapped and strained madly at the imprisoning ropes. Those hanging lamps which were not already extinguished swung in perilous arcs. In the auditorium of the frail little temporary theatre, only one man lingered near the entrance, and he, as we well knew, with sinister purpose. In the little make-up room behind the stage, we three performers, shorn of our mummer's disguise, presented perhaps the most melancholy spectacle of all. The worst of it was that Leonard and I were all broken up with trying to make the best of the situation for Rose's sake, yet prevented by circumstances from altogether ignoring it. "Seems to me we're in rather a tightish corner, Leonard," I ventured, watching that grim figure in the doorway through a hole in the curtain. "First turn to the left off Queer Street," Leonard admitted gloomily.