The Washington herald., 1921-11-13
THE BLOOD OF THE coNaUER-
oRs.r by Harvey Ferguson

OhSS BY Harvey FERGUSON
(Alfred A. Knopf).
The title Of this novel. together
with the phrase. "a novel of the
Southwest" may keep many who
-1Houid most enjoy II and who would
be most appreciative Of its hne
} qualities from reading IL AZ
matter OF fact the title Is remark
ably accurate. and the descriptive
phrase n perfectly true-something
which cannot always be said Of
the matter printed on book jackets.
II n necessary to explain that the
blood IL not the gore OF Mexican
bandits. wild Indians or Western
badmen who are slain by an intrepid
tenderfoot, nor Is II the blood Of
the 5Anglo-Saxon conquerors who
won the West. The blood Is that Of
the spanish conQuerors, now con-
sidsrably diluted. which flows m the
veins OF the modern young man
who becomes the head of the an
eient and respected, but not always
respectable. family of Delcasar.
In his FIRST novel Mr.. Ferguson
has done a number of things well.
He has. for instance, described New
Mexico so wildly that one Is con-
live. He has discovered q new field
for literary exploitation. And flnal-
~ he has told an absorbing story.
very briefly. II Is the story OF the
attempt of Ramon Delcasar. who is
IA descendant Of the Spanish con-
querors and whose family is still
Of some Importance socially and po-
lically, to restore the waning for
tunes OF his house. It Is the strug-
gle against She grlngo. This strug-
gle involves not only the savin Of
the family estate from the gringos
but the winning of an Eastern girl
with whom Ramon has fallen in
love. Mr.. Ferguson epitomizes this
struggle in his account of a poker
game between Chesterman. a vir-
gtntan who had come to New Mexi-
co for his health. and Ramon. New
er were the qualities of two races
more strikingly contrasted. Ramon
bluffed and plunged. Chesterman
was caution itself. playing out antes
in niggardly fashion until he had a
hand which put the law Of proba-
bilties strongly on his side. Ramon
was full of daring. intuition, imag-
ination, bidding always for the IA
vor OF the fates. throwing logic to
the winds. He was not above NOV
ing his seat or putting on his hat
to change his luck, Chesterman
smiled at these things. He was cold
courage battling for a purpose and
praying to no deitities but Cause
and Eject. -. Ramon made some
spectacular winnings, but Chester
man wore him. down as surely as
a slow hound wears down a deer
despite its astounding bursts Of
speed Ramon was sure to lose In
She long run because he was al
ways pIling up odds against himself
4 by the long chances he took"
This brst novel reveals Mr.. Fer
gusson as a writer Of great prom
Use. He has made a commendabls
beginning in the rescue of the
Southwest from the blood and thun-
der novelists who have SO long been
permitted without restraint to
drench its otherwise arid plans with
villains blood.
"CLERAMBAULT," BY Roman Rol-
land TRANSLATED by Katherine
q Miner) Henry Holt q Coz
The subtitle calls this The story
of an independent spirit during the
war" As most readers will recall
NJ. ROLAND had the misfortune dur
ing the war to incur the dislike and
distrust Of many Of his countrymen
because he not only disbelieved In
war but stated that fact freely. At
that time the whole episode and the
worlds Judgment OF ROLAND was
necessarily colored by war spirit
At present however, We seem TO
have arrived at the point where We
can aIlow some things to be said
that could not safely be uttered in
IA . :
Sir Philip Gibbs Now It Can Be
Told" and the more recent Three
goldiers," by John Dos Passos. And
40 "Clerambault" Is not only more
welcome but Illuminating as the
nrst intimate study OF the beliefs,
experiences and soul-struggles OF
an individual who not only disbe-
Iieyed IN war in the abstract. but
IdIsbelfeved in the great war itself
and took an open stand against II.
NJ ROLAND has stated that the book
a. not photographed. He has also
aaid that Il is not q novel but a
confession OF = free spirit telling
IF its mistakes" The known facts
a, to N. Rollsnds own war expe-
riences make II only natural, how
ever, that his readers should re-
pard this as a record of events ard
,bo,zbts that he knows with painful
Intimacy. and as to the question Of
Its being a novel. the book Is fictional
IN form and ROLAND has used all his
artistry as . writer to make 1t read
able, even enthralling. II suffers
nothinR in translation, in fact one
forRets that Il Is q translation. so d.
rect and simple Is the English style.
Clerambault, at the beginning of
the story, IL q writer, much beloved
and admired. At the outset of the
war his quick sympathles are caught
up BY the wild burst Of national en-
thusiasm In his beloved France. It
q only gradually that he comes to see
=. 49, - the thing that a. h.