Evening star., 1918-03-31

islands of the Australian coast are the
scene OF this necessary isolation Upon
these islands are only bands of sick
and Quarantined natives from tho nain-
land. The overseer IL a white man.
and SO Is the doctor that passes from
one of the islands to the other. Injtfie
course OF time two nurses under the
care of a young matron are sent to the
island upon which the females are
segregated. The story. in its essentials.
concerns itself with this young matron.
the doctor. and the English overseer
Of the male camp. Naturally, in this
situation; an affection springs up be-
tween the doctor and the girl. But
across on the other island ts a male,
more vigorous, more deadly in earnest
over the urge that 10 within him. That
is the story-the struggle for possess
sion of the female. The doctor, more
pursuits and interests-a scientist in
| work and spirit-stands no ultimate
chance before the primal impulse of
| the other two. So. he is murdered ana
put away. No law-but the law Of de-
| sire-to dictate the course of that
| region. No. it is not pleasant story,
but 1t is an interesting one, for it is
carried out with both workmanly skill
and keen sense Of the drama Of the
situation. Moreover, the locale is made
and the story by this means develops
in hauntingly lonely place. The utter
loneliness simply buries one in It, And
the adventures-for 1t is a story of
adventure-are all with the sea. and the
lonely island, and the storms that sweep
over and round it.. The book Is as
strong as 1t is weirdly fascinating, and
repellent, all in one.
SKINNER'S BIG IDEA. BY Henry
Irving Dodge, author of 'Skinner's
Baby" etc. New York: Harper &
Bros.
One is sure here of a half hour, at
good treatment-for one has met Skin
er before and SO knows what to expect
from him. BY this time Skinner is the
| Junior partner of his firm. The two
| seniors have reached the important
opinion that the firm needs new blood
! In other words. they are determined to
| let out some of the older of the sub
! ordinates, certain men who have been
| in the business for many years. The
two seniors are going away-to South
| America, perhaps-so Skinner Is left
with the letting out job As his own par
| ticular stunt while his elders are away.
What Skinner does do is to rub the rust
of the condemned men by putting them
at the top Of their particular depart
ments and throwing upon their some
what slackened shoulders the responsi-
bilities. a. well as the routine, of their
respective places. Skinner figures. you
| see. that they are more highly educated
to their jobs than any other persons
| possibly could be. He reasons that
they are among the firms most valuable
assets-when they have been made te
take responsibility along with theil
| skill That is SINNERS "big idea" II
| works out here In a most entertatnius
fashion and one is happy and relieved
to fnd that the seniors. upon their re.
turn. see the point and indorse the edu.
cational scheme that, in their absence
Skinner has worked out in SO brilliant
| q manner. :
THE SAFETY CURTAIN, And othe,
Stories. By Ethel NJ. Dell, autho1
Of The Way Of an Eagle" etc; New
/ York.. g. p. Putnam's Sons. =,
Five short stories. the Longest and
most ambitious of which gives name
to the volume. To get this long shsor,
story on it's way. the writer institutes
q rescue. In London. on leave. an Eng.
lish ofncer Of the Indian service dc.
ilivers a pretty stage girl from tn.
flames suddenly breaking out .;bshint
/ her - she = putting shsy cot aiksss II