SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 175, 13 April 1918, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

"Sadie's Conquest." Harold'Bindloss is at his best whon his story has a Canadian. background. 11 is latest novel,' "Sadie's Conquest" (Ward, Lock and Co., per Whitcombe and Tombs), is a vigorously told and at timos exciting story, which not only describes- the life of tho wheat-growers of the • prairio region, but gives us some well-drawn pictures of tho life led by the men who construct the great railroads which: cross the _ Dominion, and which aro constantly being extended by supplementary or feeder tracks. Two Englishmen, friends, Bob Chamock and Stephen Festiiig, are the leading figures. The first, is an amiable but weak and dissipated man, who lets his farm go to,rack and ruin through indolence and neglect ; the latter, who is made of sterner stuff, is a hard-working railway contractor. The,friends, find' their fortunes entangled, for whon Charnock releases his English fiancee from her engagement and marries the strong-willed Sadie, whose father keeps the local hotel and store, Festing, who is in England on a holiday, falls in love with Helen and brings her out to Canada as his bride. Sadie fxperienees great difficulty in keeping her weakwilled husband away from drink and gambling, and on his side, Festing, wlio had taken over Charnock's dis ; carded farm, and has bad lu'clc with his first wheat crop,'has a misunderstanding with his fair young English wife and goes out farther West to .take up a railway contract. Here, in time, Charnock joins him, and proves that tliero is a big streak of good in him after all. Festing has to contend against a bitter and unscrupulous enemy, a professional gambler, from whoso clutches lie had saved Bob, but i he wins through .in the end, and tho

'closing chapter leaves the two couples happily reunited, with a promising future of prosperity and liappinoss before them. Mr. Bindloss has never given his admirers n better story than "Sadie's Conquest." A Sicilian Story. Ceres Carrcsbrook, the heroine of 1 Jldss Norma Lorimer's latest novel, "On Etna, a Honuinco of Brigand Life" (Stanley Paul and Co.; per AVhitcombo and Tombs), is a young English girl whoso father owns a largo estato on tho slopes of Mount Etna. Educated in England, she rejoins her father when sho is out of lior teens, her beauty and vivacious temperament malting her ft groat favourite with the Sicilians. Sho is, however, of a highly romantic temperament, and cannot understand the suspicion and distrust in which Mr. Carrcsbrook and liis secre-tary-manager, Mark Sandeman, hold the people around the Oastello, nor tho necbssity for that ancient stronghold being protected against tho Mafia and the brigands by an armed guard. During a winter season spent in Palermo the young Englishwoman attracts tho attention of aliandsomo but dissipated Sicilian Princo, who, having lost his fortune afc the gaming table, would fain marry tho daughter of tho rich Mr. Carrcsbrook. Ccrerf rejects his suit, hut soon after returning homo is carried off by brigands and Mafia members in tho Prince's pay and taken to an ancient Saracen castlo which is occupied by brigands with whom tho nobleman is intimately connected. Hero the Princo renews his suit, but his passion leading him to offer tho girl gross in-

suit, a brigand cliief, popularly known as "This Well-Beloved, conies to the girl's rescue. The heroine's romantic nature aids in the initiation of a love story which soon dovolops on highly sensational linos, hor father's secretary and her own faithful secret admirer, Mark Sandernan, playing a prominent part, therein. Eventually the girl is restored to her father, and "Tho AVell Beloved," after a dosporate resistance, is captured by the soldiers sent in his pursuit. He is tried and condemned to death, but escapes tho guillotino by dying from his wounds, not before, however, the English girl has hastened to his side and assured him of her love. Tho story ends with the faithful Sandeman conducting poor Ceres to a convent, but tho sentimentally-inclined reader may be pardoned for hoping —and believing —that the girl .will not take final vows, but that some day, her infatuation for the dead brigand having faded out, she may reward Mark for his_ devotion. Tho charm of the story lies in its. picturesque local colour. • Miss Lorimer knows her Sicily at lirst hand, as the proved in that delightful book, "By the Waters of Sicily," and lias evidently made a special study of the Etna region and its people, so dilforont in many ways from tho ordinary Sicilians. Much curious light is thrown upon the working of tho Maiia; indeed, I fail to recall any story since tho late Marion Crawford's "Corleonc," in which brigandage and the organisation of the Italian secret societies have been inoro ably set forth. •

Owing to pressure on space a number of items have had to be held over tfUB week.