Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-10-21
BY WILLIAn HAMILTON OSBORNE

T other receptacles mentioned at the din
ner. Each contained its full quota OF
Jewels. 1t is easy to see that the heroine
| had her own difficulties In relieving
herself of this situation.
The illustrations, done by Franz
Snapp, are very spirited and d mucf
to the story.
Go
Mr.. JOHN COMMENDONE, IN G
Ranger-Gull's House of Torment,
(Dodd, Mead & Co, N. " Is also a sec
rotary of frivolous affairs. He was a
proper young ge1tleman at the court
of Philip and Mary-Philip, of course,
being Philip II. Of Spain, and Mary
Queen of England.
Philip H., as is we'll known had many
frivolous affairs, quite to his
royal spouse, and John Commendone,
to his disgust, was drawn into these
affairs. The king was Won't to frequent
an obscure thoroughfare known a 8
Duck Lane, the leading spirit of which
was a certain Madame La Motto. 1t
was from this lane that the king rode
forth to witness the martyrdom of Doc
tor Rowland Taylor, and 1t was on
the way to the stake that John saw
Elizabeth Rowland, the Doctors daugh-
ter. The king also saw her, and one
night Elizabeth Rowland strangely
disappeared. John C~ommendone found
her in the home of Madame La Motto;
there he also found his king. Through
a path made by his own right arm he
reached Philip, denounced him and.
what was more to the purpose, struck
him down. With Elizabeth he fled into
the night.
The wrath of Philip followed them to
Spain. On the way thither a stranger
came aboard at Lisbon with remark
able hands, all out of proportions; too
large, and the thumbs too broad. He
was a sworn torturer of the Holy In
QUESTION. John saved his life, and in
return the torturer swore friendship.
AS the first evidence of friendship he
told them some OF the secrets of the
torture-of a thin cloth thrown over
the mouth and nostrils of the victim
so that he cannot breathe, and water
like a thread dropping upon 1t. stopping
the air and filling the nostrils and the
mouth. OF the chafing-dish and other
horrors.
On pages 266 and 267 is given the Off
cial report of IN inquisitional clerk, lit
orally taken down at the torture of one
of these victims.
Behind John and Elizabeth still fol-
lowed the vengeance of Philip, and he
caught them at last. They were east
into the house Of torment. Their
friendly torturer promised to aid in
their escape, but upon one necessary
condition, that In order to carry out the
scheme John C~ommendone must him
self act as the torturer of another vic
tim. Otherwise escape was impossible.
THE work to do tonight" the t%orturer
told John. lis to put a Carthusian
monk, Luis Mercader, to the torture of
the trampezo. After that the senorita
will be brought in, interrogated and Is
to be scourged as the first of her tor
ture." AT this suggestion John growled
in his throat like a dog.
What happened, only a perusal of
the book al tell. Here is a strong,
fine, historical novel, full of character
and incident, reeking with atmosphere.
The author says he will follow it by
another story of John Commendone.
1t were well to follow it with a dozen
such. 1t is decidedly one of the very
best novels of the year. When the
reader finishes it he experiences a
sense of satisfaction not usually
vouchsafed to him. A distinctive
story.