Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-21

has written a very clever and diverting
tale of official life in Washington. HIS
new congressman has made great TOT
tune out of the manufacture OF relish:
originally compounded by his wife ana
made famous by his portrait on the jar.
He falls into the hands of some undesir-
able characters, who proceed to prepare
him for plucking. Meanwhile. his wife IS
having her social tribulatfons. ana MS
daughter, placed at fashionable board
ing school, is developing rather unpieas-
ant traits of character. The story WORKS
out into quite q plot but this is secondary
to the interest created in the lifelike char.
acters who people the pages. A most
OF the large CONVERSATIONAL boarding
houses or semi-hotels. Mrs. Braisted, IN
ventor of the relish and the victim for
time Of her husbands incons'derate &C
tivities, ultimately proves his salvation
and works out solution of the problems
that beset him and her. This Is one OF
the few so-called Washington stories that
really reflect Washington life.
THE VANISHING MAN. A Detective
Romance. BY r. Austin Freeman:
author of 1.-THE Red Thumb Mark,
etc. New York: Dodd, Mead & co.
The picture on the cover Of this novel.
showing three men with bulls-eye lam
tern casting a green spot on the ground.
serves to suggest that the man OF the
tale has vanished there ''in plain sight"
AS a matter of fact he did not vanish
but rather he disappeared. The solution
of the mystery of his complete removal
from the scene involves deal OF scfen-
tif1c analysis, which, however, Is skillfully
handled to keep it interesting. new
sort of detective appears in the person OF
DR.. Tko1ndyke. who has been lecturer OF
medical jurisprudence at a medical col
lcge ana whose speciality is the unravel-
ment OF crime in which scientific matters
are involved. His deductions In this par
ticular case are kept SO closely to himself
that the denouement is withheld until the
! moment when 1t shall most dramatically
affect the reader. The story is laid In
London and its environs and Is of the
present period. 1t Is altogether salts.
factory and diverting narrative of mys.
terry.
THE SECRET OF FRONTELLAC. BY
Frank K. Scribner. With frontis-
piece by Leon v. Scion. Boston:
Small, Maynard & Co.
This story ought to be warning to al
Americans who inherit property in
lFrance-especially old chateaux-to &c
slow about uncovering supposedly hidden
treasures. For old chRteaux have ar
awkward way Of turning up complications
| that give trouble. In this case a young
American explorer, a scientist who went
| to France to take possession of the cha
teau of Frontellac, accompanied by his
| prospective brother-in-law, thought he
had stumbled upon a cache OF immense
value. and, in fact, unearthed fortune
But the finding Of it came near costing
him and his companion dearly. They
got out Of the complication after having
some highly exciting adventures, and the
heir himself meets his fate and ultimately
all is well at Frontellac save for the
scoundrels who have tried to use the an
cient palace for criminal purposes.
THE FLIGHT OF FAvIEL. BY r. E.
| Vernede. With frontispiece by
George varian. New York: Henry
Holt e. Co.
It appears from the preface that The
author is endeavoring in this volume tt
clear up some doubts as to the real plo
Of an earlier version Of the story, which
| was then entitled The Pursuit Of Mr.
| Faviel" It would seem quite possible tt
state this case in less than comprehensi'
| BILE terms, for It is quite complex situa
! ton. The story is based upon wager
between two rivals in love, turning upor
the ability Of one Of them to disappear
| for a month and not be overtaken, anC
given letter which is to cas- the mari
OF his discovery. More than the money
stake is involved, and 1t is this additiona
feature Of the case that brings about thu
complications. Mr.. Faviel does not disap
pear altogether, but he manages to es
cape the presentation of the letter until