Baroness Emmuska Orczy 
Scarlet Pimpernel 

To most, Sir Percy Blakeney is but a wealthy fop, idling away his days and spending his fortune on whatever takes his fancy. But what nobody but his most trusted allies know is that he is, in fact, the Scarlet Pimpernel! A dashing hero well-versed in both swordplay and daring escapes, Blakeney dedicates himself to saving aristocrats before they meet an untimely demise at the hands of the guillotine, before vanishing without a trace — save for a single flower left in his wake.