SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 203, 22 May 1920, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

"Hearts of Women." , Morlcy Roberts's "Hearts of 'Women" (Eveleig.li Nash; per Whitcombe and Tombs) is a powerfully-written story in which this clever writer (my readers will remember that fine novel "Time and Mr. Waring") makes a poneh'athig study of the marriage system as its customs and influences react upon a group' of five women. There is Hilary, a faithful and on tho whole contented wife, though cherishing certain regretful memories of what might have been; Theo, passioriato and yet afraid of men, who adopts a delightful littlo Italian boy, upon whom she showers an affection which, under other conditions, might have fiono to n husband; Deb, who has placidly accepted the modern social system; Beatrice, who is long beset by doubts, but who in the end finds the right man; and, finally, poor littlo Ann, the sweetest, most sympathetic of the quintet, whom a cruel fate, alas, curses with a mate who is an unspeakable beast. John Fuller, the beast iu question, is almost incredibly brutal, and poor Ann's end and that of her child is tragedy. Mr. Roberts .malyses—and,, shall I say, dissects?—the varying condi- - tions of these five women with consummate literary artistry. The general tqno , is somewhat painful, but the restraint and grace with wbich. the story is told could not be bettered. Here is fiction of a very high order of literary merit. India'and Burmah. Mrs. B. M. Croker, to whom we owe such a long series of novels descriptive of Anglo-Indian life, now gives us in "The Pagoda Tree" (Cassell and Co.; per &. and W. Mackay) an ngreeably-written

story which-relates the journey to'lndia, and. quest for a hidden treasure of jewels,in which participate n handsome, selfindulgent, middle-aged widower, and jus high-principled lovable daughter. . . lhe. lost treasure hoard of old John Crawford, who had married the Begum of Radnah is not found by his male descendant, hut by the daughter, and is snatched away from the latter almost as soon as it is found. But the girl wins a hapwncss far move valuable to her than all the old Begum's diamonds and rubies would havebeen, and to that handsome • wastrel '"her" ; father, comes nn unexpected piece of luck in another form which should console him for the failure of his great- quest. A lively, well-written story, with 1 much picturesque local colour and many well-drawn characters. Miss'G.-E-.-Mitton's story, ."The TwoStringed' Fiddle" (John Murray; per Whitcombe and Tombs) has Burmah-. tho Upper Irrawaddy region for the, most part-as its background. The leading characters are a young English widow arid her fifteen-year-old : boy, _a strong-minded Englishman, head man in a big; Rangoon business house, and a mysterious' old .Chinese merchant, who possesses almost magical powers Oi hypnotism, and; is a most fascinating, if repellent, combination of Oriental cunning and cruelty.' Accompanied by the 6trong-mindcd ! Carstairs,, Diana Forbes and her son journey up' the Irrawaddy and become involved in the atrocious plotting!? of.Min King and his unprincipled European partner, Marjoram, who is Carstairs's rival for the love of Diana. The story is closely" packed with dramatic incidents, and is decidedly readable, if, iri certain features, rather toohighly coloured.- It takes its title fronv a curious Chinese fiddle, the strains of which, whenever heard, 'presage somo exceptionally sensational happenings.

"Call Mr. Fortune." The principal • figure in Mr... H. C. Bailey's story, or scries of stories, •' "Call Mr. Fortune" (Methuen and Co.), is a latter-day Sherlock Holme 6,' ' a younß medical man who succeeds to'his father's practice, plus -a, 6nug.' littlo private income,-: but much, prefers the Tole of un expert,' though unofficial, investigator of criminal.and's.emi-criminnl mysteries. In the six cases which the young doctor investigates, he displays all that astounding capacity' for noticing important points overlooked by the Scotland Yard detectives, which the hardened reader of this class of fiction, hns, by this time learnt to expect as a matter of course. Somo of theso days, perhaps, wo shall have a "detective" in which the Scotland Yard view • of the amateur crime investigator'-" will' be'Vgiven;" "The only wonder is . that we have not had it Ion;? en this. But Dr. • Fortune, although ho does score off tho official sleuths, is a singularly modest young man and his sense of humour is by no-means His least attractive characteristic Needless to say, such a master of bright' and vigorous dinloguo : nnd clever "plot-making as Mr. Bailey has proved himself to be never allows ' the reader's interest to flag for even a. single :page: ■ Mr. Bailey's latest story- docs

full credit to his versatility, but not a fow of liis admirers will join with rr« in regretting his new departure. J lie autlior of "The Gentlemiui Advent "The Young levers," mid "The Ciamesters" may well leave "detective action to' Other hands. "Tho Yellow Document," Marcel Allain, the Mentor of that resourceful scoundrel, the mysterious super-criminal, Faiitomas, has temporarily deserted his favourite Parisian background and now introduces us—in ! "The Yellow Document" (Stanley Paul and ColMx) a cunning German criminal named Krampft, the "Fantonras of Berlin." Outside tho chief villain of tho piece, tho leading characters aro a gallant young French officer and _ a lovely y</mg lady, for whom ho risks both life and honour. The Kaiser himself appears on tho scene, a bloodthirsty, sinister figure, tho plot of tho story turning upon tho efforts of the Huns to get possession of a mysterious State paper containing military secrets of tha most profound importance to Francs and to her allies. Tho excessive staccato of tho author's stylo is apt 1 to become a' little tiresome, and tho ' rapidity with which sensation succeeds, sensatioiv more than a trifle bewilder- : ing. But the entrain of tho yarn is undeniable, and ~in tho kineraa-like hustlo its gross and almost grotesque improbabilities will, : by most readers, be overlooked, t miss, however, our old friends Inspector Juve, of tho Paris Surete, and the impulsive young journalist Fcodor. In his next- story M. Allain will, I trust, get back to Paris and resurrect his old friends in a series of ne.iy. adventures. , . ■ ■