Imagine, if you will, a murder committed in a sealed room. A room which has been sealed from the inside, that is, with no possible means of exit, excepting a dangerous plunge through a window into a deep, foreboding lake with swirling eddies and rocks abound. Add to that image a wreath of flowers around the head and across the chest of the victim, a crucifix, an orange, a feather scarf tucked in here and there, two crackers, a handkerchief, and a feather duster. And a nail. Oh, and one more item to add to the curious array of arranged paraphernalia - a watch in a water pitcher by the bedside. Now place yourself in a position to solve the mystery behind this obvious murder of a wealthy man who was liked by everyone, and had no known enemies. Carolyn Wells was a well known author of children's stories, until she began reading mystery stories written by Anna Katherine Green, and from then on she devoted her writings to puzzling mysteries in a similar vein. Summary by Roger Melin