New-York tribune., 1908-10-31
Literary Neevs and Criticism

be forcefully dragged back to her legal owner,
Doubtless this story is characterized by some
thing like hystercal excitement The Tragedy
which the narrator has been through accounts
amply for that II has forced her into an a''i-
tude of nassionate revolt against things as tnev
are and when she reflects upon the crnei'N VI
the reverend human institution at whose mercy
she is her language becomes turgid ana iHoo
berent with its weight of emotion. But. for All
that her perceptions are not dulle9 In 'he III
terpretation of her tempestuous inner LIE she
shows remarkable analytical gift. and her por-
traits of the interesting persons with whom she
has been brought into contact are drawn WIN
yjrnr and distinctness. The veracity ol hei
touch compels attention.
A motor race across the continent. with Port
land and a girls heart for goal-that is the
theme OF THE Car and the Lady. Blunt Plaili-
spoken Fleming camping one night beside the
trail in the Wyoming wilderness, WONDERS WY
il is that "a man might master the most Hl'i'
cate motor problem and yet lnNarlapIE sii'i
circuit when he tried to understand girl -
-nust be confessed that Betty would be pretty
problem for even the most perspcaclous ol ''.0
intelligences Impulsive. high-splrltea' anu au
venturous. eXacting the most uhqueS'i0iiii'e
obedience from her admirers, she mas PuS '"'
Of them to the test OF a transcontinental race
win something more precious than glory. Inc
contestants are two rival designers; and they
are designing riyals-especially the Italian, van
nuccfnf. who in his magnificent 4o-horse power
Superba constructed on the foreign MODEL ooeS
not scruple to take, on every possible occasIoH'
an unsportsmanlille advantage of honest Fleh-
ing But Fleming has his cunning. too. Listen.
Just before the final descent into Oregon CIVIL
zation there is q wide. tTeacherous morasS' anu
straight across this morass lies the course OF
the motors BY cutting brHsh and throwing IL
down so as to provide q tcklish support for
,be wheels II is possible 10 negotiate passage
for the Nero: but you would hardly expect the
crew of the Nero to go beyond the requirements
OF their own car and take thought for the Su-
perba which is loafng easily along behind thern'
counting confidently the advantage that VIII
be hers. with good roads. on the last lap OF the
race little later. there she comes tearing down
the mountain. Ready as always to profit by the
labor of others. yannuccini dashes boldly out
upon the brushwood trail-and victory comes 10
the man who deserves it.
The authors give PREDATORY assurance that
the true history of a transcontinental automo-
bile race underues nearly every detail of the fol-
lowing story This fact doubtless accounts for
the air Of reality attaching to everything in the
narrative that concerns the problems of motor
mana cement in rough countries II may also
give hint of why the more romantic features
Of the tale-the gunplay with cowpunchers. the
rescue OF Jacinta the fugitive bride and the
opportune descent of Betty. in mid-desert. from
the platform Of a Pullman car-occasionally
make one think of machinery that needs oiling.
But even with a loud squeak here and there. the
story dashes along al a gait very close to the
speed limit.