The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-14

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 Oppenheim. Little, Brown & Co.,
 Boston. s1.25D
 Mir. Oppenheim Is one of the most able magicians of modern fiction mak- ing. He grips attention fast and holds it as in wise. He never relies upon the terrifying or the gruesome for pro- ducing thrills. There is always the es- sence of joy in his invention, cheer in his mystery. Responsibilities under his hand grow into possibilities. Above all he keeps hope in the foreground. The wings of hope tighten the air of the most tremendous of his complications. The foreword of the story and that source which gives the title is the most hopeless verse of omar:
 "The moving finger writes; and hav-
 Ing writ,
 Moves on; nor all your piety nor
 wit
 Shall lure 1t back to cancel half a Nor all your tears wash out word
 of it."
 Yet from this text of despair, from life-lines writ deep in what the world calls the deepest degradation, char latanry, fake fortune telling, black mailing, the hero is led to a paradise of highest hope-the possession of good woman,s love and trust. Who but a magician could find gold in such dross?
 The strength and binding interest of the book lies in something deeper than mere marvel; in the exposition of the power of truth, of the remedial quail ity of absolute truth.
 If every sinner sought the curative power of confession. if every criminal pleaded guilty of his crime the mil lenium would be brought about but let no follower of this doctrine forget the prophesied state that Is to pre- cede this millenium-the devil to be loosed For surely that confession that is good for the soul would be ruin ous to the mind, body and estate of us as we are In our earth's present conditions.
 Nevertheless 1t is Bertram Saton's honesty Ga living seed germ in the rot tenness of his dishonest life) that brings about his salvation. He Is that thing built of refuse that God used none of when he made man. and pro- nounced His work good-a man-flirt! He lives from the fake fortune tell ing and crystal gazing of lot of womi en in his employ. From study of the Q truths which he plays with for his own greedy ends. He is a blackmailer He confesses T did shoot with intent to kill" q do hate" T must have money. therefore I marry Lois absolutely for her money only" q live partly upon the woman who has adopted me and partly by nefarious means T have no strength,'' T have a cursed taste for the easy ways of life" "I haven't a good quality that I know of." T am as selfish as man can be-" '1 am . murderer at heart--an actor most of the time.''
 Thus Betram arraigns himself Honest only in his self knowledge and in his love for Lady Pauline Mirrabel-beautiful lady miracle!
 As in the filth of this mercenary per- sonality the author finds the jewel. truth and love; so in the abomination of char iatanism, playing upon the credulity of the weak, crystal gazing and the rest the |uthor finds the pearl of great price for which all occult studies reach .'the evo- 1ution of that consciousness which may justly be called eternal-the consciousness which has become subject to these pri- mary and irresistible laws, the under standing of which has baffled for so many ages the students of every country" To this knowledge, the sum and sup- stance of all that makes life worth lv- ing, Bertram and Pauline come as decipes of the great and simple Naudheim
 To the same knowledge comes Lady Mary fluffy and fppant' through the ministrations of Father Cresswell, the priest who overfills any and all buildings in London with crowds who hang upon his words for the "real reason'' that he has the gift of showing the truth"
 It is upon these firm foundations, the power of truth, the beauty of holiness that MT. Oppenhiem has chosen to build a most up-to-date novel and one full of incident, adventure, interest and enivened with thousand thrills.
 The authors mind is the true alkanest. No one can read this novel with it's DOT trayal of the old, old Countesse de Vestig nes and her modern magic and her love of gold, of her young adopted son, of his appearance in the dock in England and his narrow escape from Imprisonment, without having called to mind a story, anything but attractive. that took up much space in the papers a few seasons ago. And the bare report of these sordid doings novelist takes and in the retort of genius they come forth purified and wrought into thing of binding interest. The author when he possesses the skilled touch of MT. Oppenheim is the modern alchemist.
 Out of Russia. by Crittenden Marriott ]. B. Lppincott Co.,, Philadelphia, $125
 learned professor disturbed at potter ing about in his library by a command