The times., 1899-04-02
Minor EIcficn.

Lone Pine" by R. b. Townshend, is one
OF the best OF the many adventure stories
which have been written of the wild
West The scene is laid in the Pueblo In
dian country OF New Mexico, and the dra-
matis personae include Mexcans, Indians.
half-breed Texan, and two or three
Americans, one OF whom is the hero of the
tale. John Stephens, known to the little
community OF Santiago as Don Estevan, is
prospector drawn TO this country of In
dians and Mexicans by the story of an old
silver mine existing among the mountains.
and known to the Pueblos by tradition.
Like many other mines, however, IL is hid
den from white men 10y inexofable Indian
law since .he hhif-civilized tribes are no :
sessed by the double Ie~~ ,bst -, ~ 70 -,
Killed with labor as the Spaniarns In
their fathers or be driven off their land
Dy eager American prospectors. This is a
very pretty plot as 1t stands, with the init
mate knowledge of Indian tradition and
custom shown by the author, but there is
more in the book than this.
Mr.. Townsbend has used enough material
10 make three tales of adventure in en-
riching this one book, but the result is
pleasing. There is a thread of romance
ANA'Aih6 4'oiH INT tudDteT 10 the last
III The loye-affair of an Indian youth and
maid, TO whom Stephens finally proves
guardian angel; there is stephens own
haif-realized love-affatr for Manuelita.
daughter of a Mexican ranch owner. and
there is exciting incident and adventure
growing out OF a cunning combination of
all these elements. But the most remark
able thing in the book, after all, is the de-
veiopment of the character of Stephens,
VINO is IN many ways a typical Western
n-half-educated, quick-witted, re-
sourcefui chivalrous, courageous to the
point OF foolhardiness. His figure is that
of a Viking. but he has all the indiyiduau-
ty OF real man. He is the sort of man
10 whom the Westerner, in the turmoil of
indian wars, refers simply as "a white
man. he hes sand" he is ready to do
the square thing" as he sees 1t, to red
man or white; and some of his troubles
come from very large hearted readiness
10 believe that others will also do the
square thing" One of the things which
give this story its atmosphere of realism
Is that one is not to find out the villain and
the non-v -viilain-there is but one hero-by
experience. just as John Stephens himself
does
There Is no chance TO foresee the end of
the story, the plot is not of the kind which
can be unraveled from the beginning. II
Is rather rare thing to find an author
capable of telling good story well and at
the same time drawing each character with
n graphic and skillful touch: but this au-
thor can. Stephens is a hero worth know
ing. There are some men of his sort in
the Philippines now, and there have been
many more of them in frontier wars in
the West. 1t should be noted, by the wav.
that Mr.. Townshend draws his Indians win
the same precision as his white men and
Mexicans. While he is not prejudiced in
favor of the Indian, especially the hostile
tribes, he makes every man individual and
makes careful distinctions between the
treacherous red ruifian, crazy with whisky
and the peaceable Pueblo whose laws and
customs are quite as well reasoned and en-
forced as those of ordinary white men. If
this writer of romances will give to Ameri-
can literature half a dozen more tales OF
the West, written with the vigor and artis-
tic finish OF this one, he will have made a
valuable contribution 10 the records of a
life now fast disappearing. New York:
G. p. Putnam & Sons,)