The doings of Raffles Haw

"The Doings of Raffles Haw" by Arthur Conan Doyle is a novel that spins a yarn around Raffles Haw, a puzzling millionaire whose lavish life and shadowy beginnings spark interest in the town. As the story progresses, the connection between Haw and the McIntyre family highlights ideas of wealth, duty, and the good and bad in people, showing how money can both help and hurt. At the beginning of the novel, we meet Laura and Robert McIntyre, sister and brother, who live in a humble home after their family's downfall. Their father, Mr. McIntyre, is sad after losing their family business. The story kicks off with Laura complaining about the weather and waiting for her fiancé, Hector Spurling, who is in the navy. When Hector shows up, they chat easily. A sense of mystery creeps in when Hector suddenly gets a fifty-pound note from a stranger after helping him in a snowstorm. This strange gift sets the scene for more mystery as the novel hints at Raffles Haw's complicated world and his fancy but odd life.