This collection of tales features the anonymous "Old Man in the Corner," who sits in the A.B.C. teashop, solving mysteries for the benefit of Polly Burton, an incredulous journalist who is both interested in and annoyed by the Old Man. Baroness Orczy, author of The Scarlet Pimpernel, presents a curious detective who, using logic and personal observation, unravels "unsolvable" mysteries - for his own amusement rather than for the benefit of the police - while methodically unraveling lengths of knotted string. In every case, the Old Man reaches conclusions of which the authorities never dreamed. He is truly a unique invention and one we are pleased to present in this volume.