New-York tribune., 1920-02-27
Books

Maurice Hewlett moves somewhat
stiffiy and uncertainty In such novels as
he devotes to the affairs Of our own
day, bnt let him start nine or ten CEN
turies behind scratch and no man writes
stories Of greater vgor and charm.
"Ihe Outlaw" (Dodd Mcad), the latest
Of the Hewlett novels, is an enchanting
tale, which breathes life into an old
saga. Here there are no Johns and
Harrys and Thomases to dull the story
telling enthusiasm of so animated an
antiquarian as Hewlett. We have Gisli
for hero, and round about him move
such men as Bork the Fat, schemer, but
no warrior, and Aud, the beloved wife
Of Gisli, and Thorgrim, who was
stabbed through the heart In his bed
with the magic spear Grayfanks, and
Thord Fa!ntheart, as well as mghtier
ones who war through the pages of
this engrossing tragic romance
But if "The Outlaw" has no happy
ending, there is at least satisfactory
sense Of fatality about it. 1t possesses
the peace Of thing we'll finished. In
deed, Gisli dies superbly, for of the men
who came against him eight were killed
and many more were injured
"The Outlaw" ought to rank with
Hewlett's best work. 1t tells an nb-
sorbing story in finished and beautiful
style, and the CLINT Of true tragedy is
on It. Its arrival assures US that when
we come to look back on 1920 there will
be at least one fine book to put on the
list Of the seasons best.
There Is game in "The Outlaw
which seems to be the direct ancestor of
our hockey, football, basketball and Soc
Ger. We suppose 1t Is an authentic sport
Of Iceland and not merely an invention
by Mr.. Hewlett. At any rate, it was
played on the ice, and 1t is described as
follows:
"ln this game you started the ball
with your bat, and when once set going
you could forward 1t as you would or
could with the bat, with the foot, bv
throwing or by running with it in your
arm. SO far, it was like our hockey and
football, but 1t had this great differ
ence, that man could hold another to
prevent his getting at the ball; or he
could throw him if he would.'
ut was fierce game" Hewlett adds.
I'm times when bodily hurt counted for
little beside hot blood" And nobody
can deny that this promise is made good
in the story in the account Of what hap
pened in the meeting between Gisli and
Ihorgrim, the two opposing capita. as
"The first half of the game" the
author writes, "was declared for Gisli's
party by three goals, and he began the
second part by clear advantage. GisIi
drove the ball through and followed up
his hit-off by a charge, in which he was
we'll backed by his side. After that, in
the fortunes OF the day, man of
Ihorgrim's side got the ball and threw
1t to his chief. Thorgrim ran with it.
and ran well, but Gisli bore down on him
'i"e tHe "lhd, caught and threw him.
Ihe ball left his arms and fitted away
over the ice; Gisli would have run for
IT, but Thorgrim caught him round the
body and held him. They wrestled to-
gether; and now the heat latent in
1ish caught fire from his adversary and
they wrestled in grim earnest. For a
t'me they swayed, or rocked, in con-
met; but Gisli's hold went lower and
lower, until he felt the leverage he
wanted. All Of sudden then he con-
ser1cted his arms and, lifting Thorgrim
over his shoulder, pitched him head
first into the ice"
ihorgrim was not killed, and later in
the chapter the game begins to grow a
iit1ie rough. 1t seemed to us that Gisli
1