The Weird Picture

DEAR FRANK— Surely you are not going to spend a third Christmas at Heidelberg! We want you with us in good old England. My marriage with Daphne is fixed for Christmas Day and I shall not regard the ceremony as valid unless you are my best man. So come—come—COME! No time to say more. You can guess how busy I am. Write or wire by return. — Yours GEORGE. The book opens with the vanishing of George Willard on the eve of his wedding to Daphne Leslie. Daphne receives a letter from George telling her that he cannot marry her. He also tells her not to look for him. The story is narrated by Frank George's brother who for quite a long time has been infatuated with Daphne. Frank later meets a woman who is carrying George's monogrammed suit-case but she is mute and cannot explain how she got hold of the suit-case. Frank follows the woman to a boarding house. When an old man answers the door he tells Frank that there is no woman living in the house nor anyone fitting George's description. By the author of The Shadow of the Czar and The Viking's Skull.