The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-01-05

"The Woman in White comes next to
1.-THE Moonstone" in establishing the
fame of William Wilkie Collins. 1t is
marvelously complex and intricate in
plot-indeed, the truth is that with per-
feet prodigality of inventions the author
used in this book enough material to
make a half dozen novels of absorbing
interest.
AS in "The Moonstone," the story does
not stop where a mystery novel of the
modern type would stop-at the solution
of the mystery. Instead of this, Wilkie
Collins practically makes two equally
fascinating tales in each novel;
First comes the development of the
ever-growing mystery, ending in a most
unexpected solution, entirely different
from that which the reader anticipated;
and secondly comes an. ingenious trac-
ing backward of the tangled threads of
conspiracy and circumstances in order
to clear the plots and securee Justice
and again, the result in the end IS
brought about in an amazing way, to-
tally other than that which seemed quite
obvious
Thus Wilkie Collins worked on prin-
ciple quite different from that of Gabo-
riau and Poe and the school practically
founded by them. They and their follow
ers begin almost invariably with the
work of solution; that is the detective
or the deteetor enters the scene at once,
and it is the story of his accomplishment
that gradually unfolds the plot. Wilkie
Collins's novels deservedly occupy a high
er place as real literature and-are much
harder to read. They defy the modern
Swimming through system Of reading
novels.
TT was a singularly sultry and fore
boding night The heat all day had
been excessive even for hot July.
Walter Hartright. worn out by a sum-
mer of hard toll in his profession, felt all
the pulse of life sink low within him as
he strplled slowly through the silent and
lonely darkness of Hampstead Heath.
Suddenly every drop of of blood in his
body was brought to stop by hand
laid lightly on his shoulder from be-
hind
He turned. There stood the figure of a
woman, dressed from head to foot all in
white. Her hand was pointing steadily
to the dark cloud over the city ahead.
Her face was quite indstinct under her
bonnet. With curiously rapid yet curl
ously mechanical utterance she asked !:
rs that the way to London? Can I get
a carriage of any kind? Is 1t too late?
If you could show me where to get one
and IL you will only promise not TO
interfere with mel will want nothing
else"
She laid her hand on his arm and al
most impelled him to hurry along with
her She spoke strangely, almost Wild
", and when at last cab came into
view she ran to 1t, entered breathlessly,
and was wfirled toward London.
Walter Hartright had been walking
about ten minutes more when chaise
with two men came headlong down the
road they had just traversed. 1t drew
ola a
you seen woman pass this way, police
man?' cried one. "a woman dressed
all in white? She has escaped from an
asylum"
Receiving an answer in the negative,
the men drove on before Hartright could
say word.
The incident, sufficiently disconcerting
under any circumstances, was unusually
so to him, and troubled him like heavy
omen, for in her dsjointed conversation
the woman in white had mentioned Linn
merdge House, in Cumberland, whose
dead mistress, Mrs. F'airlie, she said, had
been kind to her once, long ago. And
that very evening Walter Hartright mad
been engaged by letter to act as drawing
master for the two young nieces of Fred
erick Fairlie of Limmeridge House.
On his arrival there he found Mr.. Fair
lie shut up in a heavily curtained and
carpeted room, devoted entirely to the
to have the drawing lessons Degin with
as little trouble to himself as possible.
AS a result, he was thrown at once into
quite uncontrolled companionship with
the two nieces-Marian Hocombe bright,
amiable, capable, beautifully formed and
full Of womanly grace, but with face
dark like that of a man; and Laura
Fairie, fair. bewitchingly beautiful. with
wonderful eyes of turquoise blue and
with nature as sensitive as that of q
flower.
Though their names were different
they were sisters. their mother having
been married twice. first to Mr.. Hol-
combe, Marian's father and then to Mr.
Fairlei Laura's father. Mr.. Hal
combe was poor and left his daughter
practically nothing. Mr.. Fairlie was rich
and left Laura fortune. His brother
Frederick Fairlie, who had succeeded to
the ownership of Limmeridge House,
was Laura's guardian.
Hartright soon told Miss Halcombe the
story of his meeting with the woman in
white, and aroused her curiosity so much
that she searched through her mothers
letters, with the result of finding a solu-
ton. In one letter. written to her by Mr.
Fairlie. who was then away. she told
about new pupil whom she had placed
in the village school founded by her. IT
have taken a violent fancy, Philip" she
wrote, ito a little girl named Anne Cath
erick, who Is not quite as developed in
tellectually she should be at her age
/ have dressed her in Lauras old white
frocks and hats and, my dear Philip al
though she Is not half so pretty, she
does still bear most extraordinary re-
semblance In hair, color complexion,
eyes and shape of face to our own dear
Laura"
Now followed three months of happi-
ness, not only for the artist but for the
two young women; three months of
sketching, riding, walking and looking
at the sea; happiness that was ended
suddenly by the flash of realization thai
came to all three at once that Walter
Hartright and Laura Fairlie were in
love.
Marian Halcombe, with her downright
honesty, spoke to him and counseled that
he go away, as he might never hope to
make her his own, since Laura had been
engaged for some time to Sir Percival
CLYDE, in obedience to her fathers dy-
ing DESIRE Even had this not been, Hart
right realized that there was another ,b-
stacle. He was penniless and Laura
Fairlle was an heiress.
Before he departed, an anonymous net
ter came to Laura Fairlie. 1t warned
her in mysterious and passionate Ian
guage not to marry Sir Percival Clyde.