The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-24

In Maud II. Yardley's surprising story
called -Sinless" (R. F. Fenno A Coz, we
found ourselves called upon TO regard two
fellow travellers just home from India.
Of these Forbes was a grumpy man, suffer-
ing from his liver. He was pulled, shape
less, plainly i'll, unpleasant to look at or to
converse with. Boyd, on the other hand,
was a good looking man, tall, spare, we'll
set up. broad s~houldered, clear eyed, most
agreeable in manners and conversation
We wondered vaguely why Maud H. Yard
ley was 8 o particular In comparing them.
Contrasted " their personalities were,
their age was the same, about 40, and there
were similarities In their experience. Both
had been ten years away from England;
neither in that long time had seen the young
wife he had left behind. Then again q
difference. Boyd was eager to SOC his wife;
Forbes was indifferent about seeing his.
Boyd gazed at his wife's picture and Kissed
her last letter. Forbes expressed the
opinion that some people would be better
on IL they were not married. Finally In
her introduction we found Maud H. Yard
ley establishing the point that whereas
Boyd had preserved hims elf remarkably
well during his ten yea RS in India, and had
changed but slightly, Forbes had changed
altogether. A man OF slender figure when
he went away, smooth shaven, with plenty
of hair on the top of his head, Forbes now,
after ten years under the India sun, was a
sort of puffy monster, bald, with an I'M
kempt and disturbing beard, and looking
much more than his real age. We followed
Maud II. Yardley as she put these two
aboard the Dover train and ran them into
- g. L.If - 49,. - -
don, where it was understood that their
wives would be waiting for them. We
wondered somewhat idly what she was
going to do with them then.
A lady Of great loneliness descended the
broad staircase of the Victoria Hotel n
against the advice OF the porter walked
forth into the fog. This was in the second
chapter. We had no trouble in making her
out to be Mrs. Boyd. There is excellent
description of how she got lost in the fog,
OF how she was rescued by a gallant way
farer who smoked and had matches, Of how
she got to Charing Cross station somewhat
late, of how Boyd found her standing by
the bookstall just as had been arranged,
how they went together to the Victoria
Hotel, where the lady had already secured
a delightful apartment, how they dined
tete-a-tete. now happy they were for the
rest Of the evening. how the porter after
breakfast next morning appeared to be sur-
prised on hearing that Boyd's name was
Boyd. and how the lady was more aston
ished than the porter, since she had supposed
that his name was Forbes.
Now all this In and was most incredible,
but we had no notion hat it was until after
the appearance OF the porter. 1t is to be
said for Maud H. YsrdIey that she manages
her revelations very skilfully. IL is also 70
be said for her that she is at once ingenious
and discreet in her provision and treatment
Of what follows in the story. She relates
further complications and difficulties with
entire understanding OF what is dramatic
and interesting, and at the same time deli
cately. Boyd was a thoroughly good fell
low. Mrs. Forbes wa just as lovely as she
seemed when she came down the Victoria
Hotel staircase. Maud H. Yardley con-
ceived a sufficiently startling and shocking
plot, but she is a good story teller. She
writes like a man. For all we know she
IL one.