Cover of The Red Seal

The Red Seal

  • Free to read
  • 4 hours to read
  • 21 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"The Red Seal" by Natalie Sumner Lincoln is a mystery novel likely written during the early 20th century. The narrative begins in a police court, where the complex circumstances surrounding a case of house-breaking unfold, involving the unfortunate incident of James Turnbull, a bank cashier who dies under mysterious conditions. The story intricately weaves the lives of the McIntyre twins, particularly Helen and Barbara, as they grapple with the implications of Turnbull's death and a puzzling connection to their social circle. At the start of the book, the tension builds as the courtroom drama reveals character testimonies that lead to the arrest of a man named John Smith, who is implicated in the alleged house-breaking. As the proceedings unfold, Helen McIntyre, one of the twin daughters of a wealthy colonel, intimately witnesses the trial and the unraveling events. The narrative then shifts dramatically when a sudden heart attack befalls Turnbull, who is later discovered disguised as the burglar. The opening portion culminates in Helen's emotional confrontation with the repercussions of the tragedy, hinting at deeper themes of love, deception, and societal expectations. As the characters navigate through grief and suspicion, questions arise about Turnbull's true motives and the circumstances leading to his death, setting the stage for a thrilling exploration of intrigue and human emotions.

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  • Fiction

Read the opening

Chapter I: In the Police Court

The Assistant District Attorney glanced down at the papers in his hand and then up at the well-dressed, stockily built man occupying the witness stand. His manner was conciliatory.

“According to your testimony, Mr. Clymer, the prisoner, John Sylvester, was honest and reliable, and faithfully performed his duties as confidential clerk,” he stated. “Just when was Sylvester in your employ?”

“Sylvester was never in my employ,” corrected Benjamin Augustus Clymer. The president of the Metropolis Trust Company was noted for his precision of speech. “During the winter of 1918 I shared an apartment with Judge James Hildebrand, who employed Sylvester.”

“Was Sylvester addicted to drink?”

“No.”

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Contents

  1. Chapter I: In the Police Court
  2. Chapter II: The Game of Consequences
  3. Chapter III: The Room with the Seven Doors
  4. Chapter IV: Barbara Engages Counsel
  5. Chapter V: The Vanishing Man
  6. Chapter VI: Straight Questions and Crooked Answers
  7. Chapter VII: The Red Seal
  8. Chapter VIII: The Inquest
  9. Chapter IX: “B-B-B”
  10. Chapter X: At the Club De Vingt
  11. Chapter XI: Half a Truth
  12. Chapter XII: The Echo of a Laugh
  13. Chapter XIII: The Face at the Window
  14. Chapter XIV: Pay Cash
  15. Chapter XV: When the Light Failed
  16. Chapter XVI: The Crimson Outline
  17. Chapter XVII: A Question of House-Breaking
  18. Chapter XVIII: The Fatal Period
  19. Chapter XIX: The Red Seal Again
  20. Chapter XX: The Unknown Equation
  21. Chapter XXI: The Riddle Answered

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About this edition

This free edition of The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #1747, released 1999-05-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Crime, Thrillers and Mystery, Novels.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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