THE CRIMSON PATCH [Illustration: "You want to warn me.... What about? I don't understand" ] THE CRIMSON PATCH BY AUGUSTA HUIELL SEAMAN Author of "The Slipper Point Mystery," "The Girl Next Door," "Three Sides of Paradise Green," "The Sapphire Signet," etc., etc. ILLUSTRATED BY C. M. RELYEA [Illustration] D. APPLETON-CENTURY COMPANY INCORPORATED NEW YORK LONDON 1939 COPYRIGHT, 1919, 1920, BY THE CENTURY CO. _All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher._ PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I SUITE NUMBER 403 3 II FRIENDS OR ENEMIES? 15 III THE SHADOW ON THE WALL 33 IV THE CRIMSON PATCH 52 V WHO TOOK IT? 70 VI THE MYSTERY DEEPENS 79 VII LEFT ALONE 95 VIII A PIECE OF PAPER 103 IX A MESSAGE IN THE NIGHT 112 X A COUNCIL OF WAR 126 XI AN ADVENTUROUS MISSION 133 XII THE HOUSE WITH THE GREEN SHUTTERS 146 XIII VIRGINIE DECIDES 172 XIV MELANIE 184 XV OUT OF THE NET 194 XVI THE SECRET OF THE CRIMSON PATCH 205 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "You want to warn me.... What about? I don't understand" _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE "You see!" whispered Virginie, clinging to Patricia 50 spasmodically "O, Melanie, let me stay just a few moments!" 140 Melanie stood in the doorway surveying her with stern 192 surprise THE CRIMSON PATCH CHAPTER I SUITE NUMBER 403