The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-05

have them. He felt mean about it af-
| terward, but he could not forego some
city and he INDUCED in a little revenge
| toward the people who had deserted
him in what had seemed to him his
need and now in what seemed to him
to him. Marley went home at noon
feeling that his triumph had been al
| most as great as if he had come home
! in private car.
The Happy Average by Brand Whit
lock. Published by the Bobbs-Merrill
company, Indianapolis. Price $3.50.
Anthony Hopes new book, Double
Harness." has just been published by
Mcclure, Philips & Co.
The thing in the book that is attract
ing the attention of the critics is the
chapter called The Storm and this is
because of it's intense dramatic inter
est They say that Mr.. Hope has risk
ed much and cite in evidence the fol-
lowing:
For example it isn't exactly what
you might expect that a man who has
room of an inn by the sea shore, where
she and the companion of her flight
have been detained by a gale. should
behave with the composure suggested
by the following:
The door opened and GrantIey ap-
peared on the threshold. He was very
wet; the rain dripped from his hat as
he took it off his head; salt spray hung
on the hair over his ears. Then he
looked from Sibylla to Blake, and back
to Sibylla, at last fixing his eyes
on her.
You can't come in here said Blake.
I'll come out side with you, if you
like, but you can't come in here.
"Grantley took no notice. His eyes
were on Sibylla.
Am too late, Sibylla?' he asked
Yes she answered TRANQUILITY. too
late
ley's face, but in an instant his usual
pallor had returned.
4" In the sense in which spoke. is
that true, Sibylla?'
She seemed composed and almost care
less as she answered, with a touch of
contempt.
NO; but it is true, for all that"
The husband offers no violence to the
man in the case. He simply ignores
him. With the cold, steady persistence
which had lost him his wife's love, he
demands that Sibylla return with him
to her child. Blake chafes irritably
Grantley Imason says deliberately that
in case of a refusal he will go home
and kill the boy and himself.
BLAKE broke into a loud, scornful
laugh, sticking his hands in his pockets.
Grantley turned toward him, smiling
slightly. oh, this isn't a melodrama,
you know Blake said, And were not
to be bluffed like that. Don't be so
damned absurd, Imason On my soul,
I've had enough of this business with
out having to listen to stuff like that!
Do you think it's bluff and melo-
drama?' Grantley asked Sibylla- DO
you think I've no real intention OF do
ing it?'
s3She looked at him intently.
You love yourself more than the
boy. and your pride more than life and
happiness she said, slowly He frown-
ed, but heard her without interruption.
so think you might do it, she ended.
At last it dawns on the woman that
the life of the son she had deserted. de-
Blake, there will be murder in the case
of an innocent fourth party. She re-
volts at the idea, and bursts out pres
emily, No. no; that's false! 1t doesn't
lie with me. 1t lies at your door, both
the crime-the hideouS crime-and,
pray God, the punishment" She re-
fuses to bulge an inch in her resolve
to go away, even then says that the
death of the child might be for the
best
Blake is now fascinated by the situa-
ton. At last he awakenS to be crushed
between the millstones of these strong
wills. He refuses to be party to murder.
1t is his resolve to go no further than
leads the woman to put on her hat and
cloak and go out into the night with
her husband, to return to the life that
she hated THANH you for having loved
me-" she says to Blake as she kisses
him and turns to go.
1t is the fashion in certain quarters to
SQuabble over situations of certain
sort in the works of popular writer's.
Anthony Hope has given some of his
admirers a hard nut to crack. There
is bound to be a startling difference of
opinion as to the possibility of such
persons as Imason, Mrs. Imason and
Blake ever existing. Further, some
will hold that if Sibylla is possible she