The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-29

 THE LADY OF THE MOUNT. by Fred
 ertck s. Iham. author of Under the
 Rose" The Bobbs- Merrill O., In
 dianapolis. sl.50; at Judd's.
 A charming story from beginning to end. The scene is France and the time that momentory period in French history when the rumblings which inn mediately preceded the French revo- luton were heard and the French mo- fility were beginning to sit up and take notice.-that it those who were keenly alive to the social and political situation The story opens with the chance meeting in a forest of beau fiful girl,-the daughter of the auto- cratic governor of the Mount, with g little lad fin the garb of one of the humblest and most pitifull poor of the peasantry. There vas something about the boy, his fierce black eyes, his un- cringing attitude, his sturdy indepen- dence. his strong individuality that struck the young girl as quite notice able. But few words were exchanged between the pair and years elapsed be- lore they saw each other again. The boy grew up to be brave, strong, masterful young man whose ability courage and capacity for leadership soon made him conspicuous as a lead CT of men and all along the French court there was no corsair captain who had finer or swifter ship or was as intrepid. brave and daring as he. The next meeting of my lady was on the treacherous sands of the Brittany coast and the beautiful young woman had brave1 too much in her horseback exercise on her splendid and fiery sal adin, She was encompassed in the sud den onrush of the sea and was saved from certain death only by the strong arms of the daring captain whose brave deed was done at great peril to him. self.
 The captain was now the Black Seigneur, man feared and hated by the nobility and idolized and obeyed by the downtrodden peasantry. The girl recognizes her brave champion who had torn her from the power of the sea as the little lad she met in the forest years before, and a wave of pity and enkindlng love is felt by her for this noble looking. brave spoken fellow despite the fact that he is in the eyes of the nobility very dan gerous plebeian outlaw. The Black Seigneur, unknown to the girl, is the rightful owner of fine possessions which had adioined her fathers do- mains and been rested from the boy s lightful estate, after the murder of his father, Seigneur Desaurac. Thus the Black Seigneur is of gentle birth and knows that he is by birth the equal of the Lady Elise and the social equal of her father the iron handed. obdurate ruler of the peasantry about him with dungeons da-p about his estate where scores had horribly perished for mur- murins at excessive taxes or for dis content with their misery.
 The Mount was second Bastile for inpregnabillty. The story now devel. ops rapidly with the discontent of the people more inslstently and more open ly expressed. Soldiers. are after the ] lack Seigneur whose open defiance . of the nobility and reinstatement he had given their vessels had spread abroad his fame, The story proceeds with increasing interest. The lady oi the Mount sees before her her impend- ing marriage to nigh titled and handsome courier suitor but her heart is not in the match. The peasantry wax bolder. News that the Bastie has fallen has reached them. The story now becomes alive with strong situations in which the Black Seigneur is a central figure and his daring deed his contempt of danger his narrow , escape from death through treachery, or his own daring keep the reader s Interest on the qui vive. My lady al 50 is not in the back ground. The readers interest in this admirably told story will be maintained to it! end when a grand climax occurs. The book is well illustrated by Lester Ralph.
 ARkINsAw COUSINS, by J. Breckin ridge Ellis, Henry Holt & Co; s15o
 at Judd's.
 A story full of genuine heart inter est told with ease replete with incl dent,--a story or everyday people chiefly Thornberries in village whicf the Ozark mountains overlook which is the only connection the 0zarks hay, to do with the story. There is nt etraining for effect, no sociological o nsvcholcpical problem to deyelon. nt