SOME RECENT FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1889, 25 October 1913, Page 9

SOME RECENT FICTION.

THREE NEW-AMERICANS<

■A year or two ago there appeared a very well written, if sensational, American novel entitled "The Incorrigible Dukaue," the author of which, George C. Slicdd, now gives us another equally exciting story, " The Isle of Strife (Small, Maynard and Co.; per George Robertson' and Co.). Mr. Shedd's new st-ory has for its background a small island off the coast of Maine, the inhabitants of which, fisher folk, are mainly of French descent. To the island comos for a holiday a smart young American, who lias become possessed of the plans of certain fortifications in Europe. Other people want these plans. Ono is a German official, the otlier a cosmopolitan adventurer, a Frenchman who has become adviser ill chief to the notorious De Castro. Also on the island is a young lady in whom Charlie Woodworth, the American hero of tho story,' is deeply interested, and her millionaire father. Woodworth's life is threatened by a gang of desperadoes in tho employ of Durville, the adventurer, and the story soon resolves itself into a record of plots and counterplots to obtain and to preservo the all-impor-tant plans, an additional touch of romance being afforded by the varied courso of the hero's love-making with Betty. Mooro. Finally, Woodworth loses the plans, which, after all, were of 110 special value to him, but wins a charming wife, the villian "'of the piece meeting with a very tragic end. Somo comic relief is afforded by an amusing scamp, a French valet.

Although written in an old-fashioned, somewhat ,stifi!ed stylo, Mr. J. W.I Churoh's story of the old' slavery days in the Southern States of America, "Deep in Piney Woods" (T. Y. Crowell and Co., New York; per George Robertson and Co.), has a special interest of its own in that it doals very largely with the curious and horriblo Voodoo (Vaudoux), warship, in which so many of the negroes indulged, a worship which even to-day, with the widespread education of thty American blacks, is not, it is said, Entirely extinct. There is a big strugglo between the new manager of Major Clairborno's estates and the Voodoo priests, and their followers, with whom the Major's nephew, Colquett, is apt to sympathise, and tho position is complicated by a love story, in which Reed, tho manager, and Colquitt are concerned. The story is highly sensational, and has a touch of melodrama about it. Rut the novelty of some of the leading incidents imparts a decided interest to the narrative, and as a picture of a certain unusual phase of life the novel is very acceptable.

'A' typical "Wild West" story of tho bost kind is George Fatullo's of Badgor" (Appleton and Co., Now York, per George Robertson and Co.). Its hero, Lafo Johnson, is a hefty, plucky fellow, an industrious cattle puncher, an oxpert "gun-man" on occasion, an honest sheriff, a gallant and truly chivalrous lover, and a faithful and loving husband. With all this, Lafo is a born humourist, and personally I have found his shrewd and comical comments upo n the men —and womenfolk—of the little cattlo town where ho reigns supreme I as tho champion of law and ordar, al-

most as interesting as tho narrative of tho maiiv exciting incidents, fights with "greasers, lynchings, saloon Bhqoting affrays, and the like, with which the story is so plentifully stocked. The hero's wife, Hetty Ferrier, is almost as strong a character as tho redoubtablo Lafe himself, and as a really first-class villain, tho wicked cattle thief, stage robber and all round desperado, Steve Moffatt, whoso many attempts to "do in" his virtuous rival, are fortunately frustrated, would make the fortune of any "Wild West" melodrama. In its awn class "The Sheriff of Badger" is an exceptionally picturesque and effective story.