Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-02
Reviews Of New Books
"No Defence" BY Sir Gilbert Parker

| Price, ~, net,
While Sir Gilbert Parker hns written
maay novels, all full of interest and ~
keeping with his justly acquired high
! reputation. not since The Seats of the
| Mighty" many years ago, has he written
| one so full of action, 70 intense in interest
and so virile in los characters a. mo
| Defence" will appear 20 all readers. IL
| fairly thrills with stirring incident through
out.
The scope Of the story IL less than a
decade Of the late years Of the Eighteenth
Century and the early years Of the Nine
teenth. 1t opens IN Ireland with the
chance meeting Of Dyck Calhoun, son Of
an Irish gentleman, handsoroe, spirited,
manly in character, but more disposed 20
enjoying the affairs Of lIfc, and Sheila
| LIyn. a beautiful and true-hearted Irish
girl They love from first sight, and to
| Sheilas love is added devotion b and
faith in her lover that years Of continual
trouble, disaster and even shame cannot
elface Her love even outlasted an OBJ
ftacle % their marriage that for awhile
seemed unsurmountable.
In Dublin Dyck Calhoun fell into bad
company, drank and gaFnblcd, and oane
near to being entrapped by a traitor who
was in the employ Of France, with which
country England then was at war. Dyck
| spurned an offer to likewise betray has
country, and threatened the traitors life.
Then he yielded to the dr1gged liquor
with which he had been piled and fell into
senseless slumber. When he awokc, the
traitor was dead, stabbed 20 the heart -
bv his wife, whom he had treated with
cruelty and Dyck Calhoun was aroused
of the murder He knew not whether he
was innocent or guilty, bat also knew be
would be justified and acquitted II ne
revealed the treachery Of the victim.
But this Dyck Calhoun would not do,
for the reason that this man was the
father Of Sheila Llyn, Of which fact she
was not aware He would not shame her
by revealing to the world her fathers
treason 70 his country, although he also
knew that the faint of his guilt would for
ever prevent their marriage, as she could
not wed the man who was guilty Of
numbering her father, as Il then appeared
So be took his medicine, trial, without
interposing his one assured defence con
viction and four years In prison.
Dyck Calhoun emerged from prison q
: poor man, an adyenturer, with only a
faithful servant of tis family to claim az
a friend He went TO London He enlisted
/ in the navy; he joined and led q mutin y
or his ship, then stole the ship from the
: midst Of other ships that had been soined
. by mutineers and surrendered, and sailed
the high seas He reached Jamaica in
time to engage in q fierce battle between
an English fleet and a superior French
J feet. his daring attack and courage turn
ing he + ght in favor of the English. Ihi'
: brave act gained freedom for him. Later
fortune made him. rich planter of the
, island, and there fate drew Sheiia Llyn
: who meanwhile, with her mother, had
A u. "A
: ceeds,d 10 bis wealth. She was courted bs
the powerful governor Of the island, but
her heart would not turn from her only
! lover Then came revolt of the blacks
which Dyck Calhoun suppressed by hI'
! bravery and skill the governor bein1
practically helpless. And soon after thers
came 10 the island, I'll unto death, the
wife who had murdered her husband II
Dublin, and Dyck Calhoun was freed
;. from the unjust suspicion of having beer
guilty. Of a bloody crime. And he and
sheila were married.
The story, Of which the above is n brls'
outline, is told most effectively. with
IAN interest that holds tense attention
' throughout II j. a stirring picture d
stirring times with vivid descriptions o
country and picturing Of characters. Il
a word, il Is a production by sir Gilber
Received Of the publishers.
Turkey Bowman" BY Homer Croy
With frontispiece. New York City
Harper 4 Brothers. Price, sl.75, net
His real front name was Howard. bu
in has home place. far western frontIe
town. his cognomen was. Turkey" II
was as bad as the average boy, but earll
fell in love with pretty school girl, ant
I then his adventures began. For she show
ed preference for another boy, and heart
broken, he ran away from home, resolved
10 20 TO the bad and then return and SHOW
the girl what q wreck she had made o
him.
But fate ordained otherwise He me
"Siim" Belcher and his talking dog
! slim doing the talking, being a cleve
ventriloqust-and they went sdventtrrinl
together. They were kindred spirits, 10
slim also was victim OF what he sup
4 posed was unreQuited passion.
They had adventures. They worked Oi
a cattle ranch, and were right in the thicl
of an Indian uprising in which Turkey
distinguished himself by escaping from
hostile Indians who had captured hir
and giving very timely news OF the up
rising to the military authorities. For TIN
he was rewarded with the general $ swOr
and a great deal Of nctoriety. And 70
unearthing the bones Of gigantic pre-
historic animal. he and Slim were richl
rewarded in money. Finally, slim fOunt
the woman ne loved and learned of he
willingness TO receive him in matTimony
and Turkey going home as 3 hero, re
ceived warm welcome from the girl VIII
= had so cruelty turned him down. And $
a all ends happily.
: The story IS told with a great deai O
: humor, with sprightiy narrative, and ais
i at times Is stirring and exciting in Incl
dent, Altogether. it IS highly entertain
: ing. original romance.
Rec eived Of the publishers.
The Boys Life of Lafayette" BY Heller
. Nicolay Illustrated, including frontis
piece Of portrait Of Lafayette from Al
h engraving by Jones. New York City
4 Harper x Brothers.
; Drawing from the acknowledged sn,
authentic facts Of history there IS pre-
sented in this book a faithful and mos
e revealing story of that great Frenchmai
h whose memory viii ever be held in admir-
e ing reverence by all patriotic Americans
1.-THE Marquis de Lafayette. 1t tells Of IN
interesting boyhood in France, and of hi
e early ambition 70 take IN active part II
4 the affairs Of State. 1t shows how he wa
I stirred hv the gallant struggle OF tn,