What SF novel about an underground realm + a femme fatale (*not* "Moon Pool") came out in the 20's-30's?

It would have been published in the early part of the 20th century, and I think the author's first name started with an "E". I also think he was an Austalian. This book was reprinted a few years ago by one of those science fiction publishing houses dedicated to exhuming neglected classics but the publisher (I am pretty certain) was not Gregg Press. I always wanted to check this book out of the Tacoma Public Library, but it has vanished. Now I can't search for it elsewhere b/c I can't remember the title. Can anybody help?