The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-23

hers however sincere her declaration that now she did not even want to un- derstand" the reason for his reticence regarding that which had happened in Africa, must always remain as barrier between them. Yet they are both sym pathetic characters, the courage ana loyalty and loving generosity of the one | the bravery. strength and shy idleness o1 { the other, winning the readers liking.
 For ''The Explorer is neither an ugly nor a cynical novel, and the view of life which it presents is one from which
 ideals are not excluded Alec MacKen- ze, the famous African explorer, who IS the hero of the book is a man with certain savage intensity of purpose, rather solitary individual whose manner is seldom bright and cheerful save m moments of extreme danger, when 1t be- comes altogether charming. But he IS brave and truthful and entirely honest, capable of deep tenderness and with all ardent patriotism he usually. does nis very best to conceal. Lucy Allerton, to whom the role of heroine is assigned, Is l one of those who have been compeliei | by force of circumstances to pass from childhood to womanhood immediately, and without any intervening young gili period, and to bear not only her own heavy burdens but those of other people as we'll. Her pride, her reserve, and her suffering under the tragedy which threatens to blight her whole life are all ably depicted. l The book contains a good deal of that l clever and amusing dialogue so familiar l to whoever has witnessed MT Maug. l hams comedies, but though it Is gnu of talk almost invariably touched wicn | a light cyinicism, the two who lnduise 1 in it most freely, Dick Lomas, the "
 year.old bachelor between whom ana Alec Mackenzie there existed so strons a bond, and the charming American widow, Mrs Crowder, are both or tne" loyal and generous friends, to whom no reader will grudge the happiness wnicn eventually falls to their lot. Here anu there in the noval a trace of crud,ty shows itself in some stilted phrase, put on the other hand there are many good bits. such as the comment walker makes upon his own rast life on tna. evening which he very well knows VII probably be his last on earth. or Mrs' Crowder's comparison, spoken under such ! very different vein. of the behavior
 of the American woman in England .wltn i the behavior of the self-same woman
 when in America. The scene Of ene
 story shifts from country place on
 the Kentish cost to Lady kelsey :
 house in London. thence to Africa ana
 back again to London. There are sevsral !dramatica moments, and while the noNe'
 shows little or nothing or the orisniaii.,
 and grim power which distinguisn uS
 authors later fiction. it holds the read
 CTS attention
 SCRAMBLED EGGS
 IBy I.awton Mackall. Illustrated by Oliver
 Herford The Stewart Kidd Publish ing Company. Cincinnati.
 This barnyard satire tells of the ao- ventures of an uplifting drake, Eustace ,l Like 90 many uplifters Eustace wante to practice his uplifting on others When
 his hard-working wife, Gertrude, asks him to sit for while on the eggs, nc ltells her loftily that he believes In
 communal incubator. Gertrudes reply is full of humor and sense Yes. oe&. . sheN says. .,such thing miEAt be very x! conyenieQt f it were oncA 1staohlns9 \ itouch. Bu{E for 3hy tIfnS xUsin9 illse1 jthere isn't any communal tncupa IT ycur duty ia to sit on your egge.
 f2,,f Ee1,af e can't zee it that way; h(