The Washington times., 1921-09-04
BOOKS i'm BRIEF

undone-it In the nature OF
sin that Il cannot be hidden
utterly away. and that any attempt
on the parts Of the sinner to cen
ceal his sin only leads TO other and
greater sins until his whole life
is wrapped up In faisehoods. Epito-
mized. "be sure your sin win find
you out" In the motive Of Sir Hall
Gaines newest novel, THE Master
OF Man." just published by the Lip
pincott Company.
In this, the greatest Of Sir Halls
novels. he has in mastery fashion
depicted the world old struggle Of
the human soul with sin, "A topic
which has occupied the master
novelists Of all times. Fielding.
Tolstoy and Hawthorne, In the
greatest books they produced. wrcte
Of sin and its tragic consequences.
and THE Master OF Man" Is fairly
entitled to be ranked with these.
THE story. the scene Of which II
the Isle Of Man, told with con-
summate artistry, Ii built up on the
old English law which condemns TO
death the woman who, having TO
face the consequences Of an Illicit
relation, does away with her child,
How far the father Of the child is
morally responsible for the crime
Is discussed in q scarchingly critical
analysis Of the feelings Of an un-
usually conscientious man, who, in q
passing moment Of temptation, lays
the foundations Of most stipend
GUS and far-reaching tragedy, in
voiving the honor. future and hap
piness OF q number Of people.
2 The man Stoweli, son Of the
Deemster, In the willfui absence OF
the girl he loves and has loved from
childhood, but who has just arranged
to remain away for several years, Is
tempted to his fall by a pretty, but
illiterate girl Of q lower class. He
is sensitively honorable and. having
recovered from his momentary folly.
feels 1t his duty to marry her. They
become engaged, and his friend and
chum, Cell, undertakes for him to
place the girl In a school where she
may fit herself for the higher posi-
tion she Is to occupy. Cell falls in
love with her. just as Fenella-the
girl Of his own class with whom
Stowell Ii in love-returns home,
and Stoweli is In despair at having
pledged himself to Bessie.
Cell and Bessie confess their love
to StoweiI. who. happy over his re-
lease, feels free to renew his rela-
tions with Fenella.
PUT, unfortunately. in the course
Of time, Bessie's health causes
her uneasiness. In her dilemma She
ends by going to her mother for
help and advice. Her stepfather, a
brute, refuses her shelter. but her
mother smuggles her In. In the
night she gives birth to a boy.
Hearing her. stepfather stirring as
the child utters its first cry, she
covers his mouth with her hand,
holds 1t there too long and finds
she has smothered 1t. She then
drags herself out apd conceals the
body beneath a stone and some
one sees her doing II and de-
nounces her. Then crowd in the
problems Of duty. honor. love and
friendship.
In the meantime Stoweli's father
has died, and the Governor. Fenel-
las father, has had young stowell
appointed Deemster to. succeed
him. It Is Stowell. therefore.
who must conduct Bessie's trial.
He goes to the Governor, tells
him everything and asks him to
relieve him of the case; but the
Governor, a man of the world,
thinks he must 60 on with his
duty as Judge and gives him prac-
tical advice; to say nothing. but
60 on with his duty. He is not
responsible for Bessie's sin any
moro than he IL for her crime.
He owes no duty to. any one or
anything save to his judgeship.
THUS in the scorching fire Of
his temptation he tried to stand
erect in the belief that he had
sunk himself in his high office,
that he was about to become the
champion and first servant Of Jus
tice. But we'll he knew in his
secret heart that In the fierce
struggle which had been going on
within him between the Judge and
the man, the man had conquered"