The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-18

breathed: in fact-while the book doesn't say so-Michael would rather have con- spired than do almost anything drink near beer-anythingl In common with others of his unfortunate country, Mich ael had bound himself by a solemn oath to remove all obstacles that stood be- tween his beloved country and It's we'll being even should the most extreme methods become necessary.
 Michael travels around a bit after his escape from Siberia (which was just as well for Mike). While wandering, hither and thither, in Asia, Michael meets Harvard college archaeologist and the lat ter's sister, Frances Ware.
 It was the latter who was to become the innocent tool in the hands of the unscrup- ulous but most fascinating Pole. eThere should be a prohibition law against at- tractIve menD Frances was used by Michael to further his designs. There Is much space given to plotting and coun- terplotting in Poland-with Michael ever on the job.
 But here comes the real hero in the storyl stolid, unemotional Englishman connected with the Russian embassy at Warsaw. whose one redeeming quality Is the ability to help his friends out of se- rlous scrapes.
 Without that old wooden-headed Eng lishman there is no means of telling what might have happened to Frances Ware she would likely now be summering In Siberia. The contrast is very strongly drawn between the cool conservative Englishman and the reckless Zembec who was willing to risk himself well as Frances in Polands cause.
 '"The Plotting of Frances Ware is a success.
 Another thing in this interesting story Is the fact that MT Locke gives the reader both sides of the story as to Po- land and her wrongs. He Is able and does show that there is something to be said for as well as against Polands con- querors. It Is book, of its type, way above the average.
 "Set in Silver" by C. N. and A M. Will
 liamson. Doubleday. Page & Col
 It Is reported In the press that MT. and Mrs Williamson of Lightning Conduc- tor" and others ad inflnitum, fame or what-you will-whose new novel, "Set in Silver" has recently been published, have bought a villa, called Chalet des Pins" on Cap Martin. near Monte Carlo. Said habitat was formerly a shooting lodge belonging to the Prince of Monaco.
 If many of the readers of this de- partment feel as does this reviewer 1t must be a great relief to get the Will liamsons located some place. It was gen. erally supposed they lived in motor car.
 Set in Silver" has motor trips ga- lore, of course, but the story Is not so much of success as some of the pre- vious books by the Williamsons. That is, judging by the reports made to this reviewer by young school girls who kind ly assisted this reviewer in crfticising the book. The latter freely admits his utter lack of ability to criticise properly the Williamson novel-any he has ever afa1xr ba to read most of them.
 The characters are engaged In this book in sort af amatuer detective war, all ways with the motor cars among-those- present. What could the Willamsons have done before the days of the automo- bile?
 Audrie is the leading character. female. in "Set in Silver." She Is rather unique, sometimes charming and the result of the combination of French and American parentage
 But here's the rub! Audre writes let ters to her mother, which read like guide books. In her letters Audrie gives her opinion to mamma of every character iD the book-it is a pity we couldn't hear from the other characters on the subject of Audrie.
 Mrs. Norton eccentric, Dick Burden really ridiculous in his attempts to he a detective and Sir Lionel whose ward Audrie was supposed to become into the game hilariously-one reviewer said "at boiling point
 Audrie hesitates over playing the part of Ellaline ward to the dlapon to the point where she resolves herself into plain Audrie Brendon. the promi'ed wife of the dragon, Sir Lionel-with 2 motor car al- ways within Oasy reach.
 There are heartaches and some heart breaks. few break downs (of the ever present motor carl, but Audrie is ever on the appointed spot spreading joy and sunshine.
 Just another Williamson production is ''Set in Silver" If you care for that sort the book will please you, if not, but never mind!
 ''The Marooner," by Charles Frederick
 Holder. B. W. Dodge & Co)
 Prof. Charles Frederick Holder has written all sorts of popular and semi technical books. He stands way up in his class for the books written on semi scientific subjects. He has contributed much to the current magazines, such as Outing, The Arena and so on.
 A book reviewed quite a while ago, Big Game at Sea- giving personal ex- periences in the catching of large fish on the American coasts. in which Profess sor Holder invested natural science with the charm of fiction, was a winner.
 In The MarOOner' Professor Holder has written a book that will delight those readers who enthuse over hair breadth escapes and deadly perils by sea-
 Many years ago Professor Holder as a young man followed sea-faring life for a time, and some of the extraordi- nary events described in "The Marooner' we are told he personally witnessed dur ing this period.
 In the first few chapters apparently two independent stories are running; one being a tragic tale of wrecks on the Florida reefs brought about by a band of desperate characters who systemat- ically compass the destruction of vessels for the spells that may be thus secured. The other, love story of the north, in which a beautiful Canadian girl, edu- cated in a convent, who supposes herself to be the daughter of a French trapper and with whom handsome and wealthy aristocratic New Yorker falls in love and marries.
 The pictures of New York life 50 years ago are said to be most vivid and we'll drawn and into the heart of the story Is introduced a sweet little Christmas tale in which the hero is a newsboy who becomes later on in life great painter of portraits
 The love romance of the hero and he- roine of the novel has a rude awaken ing, not however, owing to serious faults on the part or either party, but from the flight of the beautiful girl-wife from New York to the amazing ending of the faIa oil fha otto tz Gxxyift all riph