A detective investigating the murder of a millionaire teams up with master sleuth Fleming Stone in this clever mystery from a pioneer of American crime fiction Eager to prove himself as talented a crime-solver as his hero, the famous investigator Fleming Stone, young detective Herbert Burroughs takes on a puzzling case: the murder of wealthy businessman Joseph Crawford, who was killed in the study of his New Jersey home. With no shortage of suspects, the primary clue is a woman’s gold bag discovered at the scene of the crime. Burroughs believes the old man’s lovely niece is innocent, and he’s beginning to fall for her besides. But the young woman has a clear motive: She stands to inherit the bulk of Crawford’s fortune—and she admits to owning a gold purse! Her unscrupulous fiancé might be the real culprit, however, or it could be one of the millionaire victim’s several disloyal servants. No matter how hard he tries, Burroughs cannot make sense of the clues he unearths, and it soon becomes apparent that only a mind as perceptive as Fleming Stone’s can solve this impossible crime. So the student decides to turn to the master—even if it means seeing the object of his heart’s desire proven guilty once and for all. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.