The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-30

to his rooms the book has disappeared
and he hears from his servant that
woman in black has visited his apart
mentS in his absence. He has caught
a glimpse of this strange woman at the
house of the priest upon the day he
bought the book, SO he scents deep
mystery and determines to trace the
thief He finds out that she has gone
to London and losing no time he fol-
lows her From here until the. end of
the story the plot thickens on every
= ge until the very last when the whole
story is told and everything made plain.
How Allen regains the .sclosed book,
how he meets the girl, he loves, who is
strangely and unpleasantly. concerned
with it. the revelation of the strange
plot of which the priest is innocent,
the search for the hiding place of the
Jewels and their final recovery togeth-
er with the fearful venom and its an
tidote, go to make up one of the best
and most original of modern adventure
stories 1t is not only an entertaining
tale, but much better written than
most stories of It's character, and is an
a~Darent confederation of the claim
that Lucretia Borgia was not as black
as she has been painted.
lucanus, A Friend of The .christ-Bys j.
F. Stout Jennings & Graham, Cincin-
natl. For sale by st. Paul Book and
Stationery company.
local writer Rev. J. F. Stout, has
added one more to the many romances
now appearing which concern the
time of Christ. Aside from the shock
there is always to the average reader in
finding the person of Christ involved in
the commonplace events of domestic
life, this story is an excellent piece of
writing. Mr.. Stout has treated his sub
Ject In most reverential manner, and
his object in trying to make the ever
living characters of the most important
age the world has known live again in
the pages of his book, is a good one.
He says it has been his purpose .'to
take the facts and conditions of the
time of Jesus and place in their midst
flesh and blood people such as move
among us today, and try to make the
life have new interest, from a modern
coloring, and from the homely speech
of the present rather than the stately
language which is supposed to belong
to. that most interesting period The
life of Lucanus, a Greek slave, is to
prefigure that of any man or woman
who has suffered disaster and sorrow
and found relief and gladness from
faith in Christ
When the story opens we find Christ
grown to manhood, but residing in the
simple home of his mother and breth-
rem, while they are unconscious of His
mission and looking for the Messiah
that was promised. Lucanus has fled
from Alexandria and when he reaches
Nazareth hears of the Carpenters
House" and the Elder Brother whose
life is regarded as a mystery, but whose
divine destiny is yet unknown. Luz
canus is an athlete of rrenown- and his
prowesS does not conduce to keep him
among companions Of the best. In the
course of his carousing he gets into
trouble and as the result of great
battle Lucanus loses his sight.
From here on to the end the story is
that of the last days of Christ upon
earth, the miracles He performed,
among which was the restoration of the
sight of Lueanus and his conversion,
the crucifixion and the resurrection. It
is all most beautifully told and the
writer has succeeded where many 9TH
ers fail, in not straining after effect,
but preserving the dignity of the great
events he narrates, While using the
simplest language. interviewer in the
main story. is the love story of Lucanus
and Mary Magdalen, and the love and
most touchingly narrated.
o
The Flame Gatherers-By Margaret Hor-
ton. The Macmillan compsny For sale
by st. Paul Book and Stationery COM
pany.
Remarkable as the writing of this
book is by so young woman, it is
quite evident that she has gone be-
yond her depth, and there is nothing
invidious in this criticism as work
upon India in the thirteenth century
might well tax the powers of a ripe
scholar. The author has essayed to
write novel which concerns the
transmigration of souls. but this is a
mere aside in the multiplicity Of in
terests she brings in. and which go to
make up a most remarkable book. The
first part of the story is given up to
the passionate and forbidden love of
the Oriental type reaping its harvest
of DEATH Death is again the finish
of the second part. which is full of
mystic lore and ancient Hindu spec
uIative philosophy The story is of