Detective Story Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 1

His Hand and Seal, by Carolyn Wells (serial)

This metropolitan comedy-drama introduces Isabel Curwood, a twenty-one-year-old debutante living at The Ponsonby, a luxury New York apartment house. Isabel plans to marry Edwin Stuart, a young man of modest means whom her mother and guardian disapprove of, partly due to rumors of his gambling habits. Isabel's younger sister Grace has developed feelings for Count Kovroff, a Russian nobleman, though Isabel regards him with suspicion.

The plot centers on Isabel's coming into control of her substantial inherited fortune from her guardian, Mr. Weatherby, which will give her financial independence. Edwin pressures her toward a quick marriage, though his manner suggests ulterior motives beyond romantic devotion. Isabel insists on learning financial management herself and maintaining control of her estate. The narrative establishes tensions between Isabel's independent spirit and the various social pressures upon her—familial opposition to Stuart, her mother's mercenary preferences, and the persistent attentions of the mysterious count.