The Washington times., 1922-06-11
NAN { RlES FOR
MOON; FINALLY
|. |. GETS II
Margaret Pedlsr's Nsw Book
ls Good Old fashioned Love
Story, With the Happiest Of
Findings.
By AMEs KENDRICK,

Il
next. not that It ID by any manner Of
!. means detective or mystery
story. but for the reason that Nan
seems intent. chapter after chap
ter. on turning this sentimental
little novel into another Tragedy
OF Man"
- This Nan. musician Of sorts, with
temperament of all sorts, is forever
on the verge Of being dragged to
the altar by the most unsuitable
persons. Between regular matri-
moniai proposals she is entreated
7 10 elope by other suitors more ar.
dent than conventional.
= Such q fix does Nan finally get
into that we got all worked up
about her, though little sober re-
Election would have told US that
the happy ending was just beyond
the horizon. Mans first affair is
with an artist chap. who finds him
SELF In love with both Nan and his
Fart. Just why he had no room in
his affections for both In not clear
to US. but anyway he jilts Nan for
o widow lady of means.
~ Art having failed her. Nan next
has try at Literature. This liter
aary fellow: Peter. seems the ideal
man with the trifling exception
that he has already a wife in the
offing. As the author locates this
q lady in India and enters into no
details about her. this seems rather
: o slight obstacle in this day and
= generation. However, 1t Ia suffi-
cient for the purposes Of the story.
Music provides the youthful
Sandy next in the parade OF suitors,
but he. alack, is wanting in years,
and ID thrown into the story as a
sort Of extra man to fill up the In:
tervals between the exit of one
swain and the entrance Of the next.
And 90 we come to Roger. country
squire. rider to hounds, lord Of
/ many acres. A stern. passionate.
rugged gent. Roger, just the sort
TO tame the temperamental heroine,
though with absolutely nothing in
common In the way of education,
tastes or ideals. So. first thing we
know, Nan Is contracted to marry
him.
At this point the author warns
to the Job. When the heroine gets
herself engaged in most stories
the rejected suitors usually disap-
pear from the scene, but not 50 in
this book. All the other fellows
continue to hang about. and Nan
IN forever in trouble with first one,
then another. Such q time az IL.
had. Nan Is literally hurled from
the arms Of one gent into the
clutch Of another, and the ensuing
kissing stuff exceeds, we are Ger.
tain, the length allowed by the os-
culatory censor Of the movies.
~
!. Finally, to get free Of Roger. who
. has become unbearable. Nan sl<ips
town with the artist. only to be
saved In the nick of, time by the
: surviving members Of the wooers'
association. Peter and Sandy.
Then the jolly Roger, who all along
has been pictured as q rude fellow
Of the baser sort. experiences q
remarkable change Of heart and re-
leases Nan from her promise to
wed with him.
This leaves Nan free to marry
the man she has truly loved all
along. the literary fellow. Peter.
Now. this may sound rather mixed
and absurd. and the book 10 indeed
. BIT sentimental. a. the percipient
readsr has probably discovered by
this time, but then Mrs. Pedler's
workmanship Ii sound. her charac-
: ters interesting. her style ingratiat-
ingiy smooth. and ourselves q
graduate Of the school of Charles
Garvice and Charlotte M. Braeme.
30 that we were no whit surprised
or outraged when the distant wife
OF Peter is removed off-hand 90
that his marriage to Nan is regular,
Eand conventional. and all that
sort Of thing.
CAx RoHMER has a large and
devoted audience, who know
what to expect from him In the
way Of mystery. murders. in.
/, trigue and plots. They win not
be disappointed In his latest offer.
ing. Fire Tongue" Doubleday,
Page q Coz. which comes up to
!. the standard specifications.
' His ExceiIency ormus Kahn 10
( . sieck. subtle, highly perfumed
/, Oriental villain who viii be recog.
pissd NJ sight as the trouble
maker Of the story.
~ He 10 head OF q marvellous 90
cisty of fire worshipers. with head.
quarters IN q remote corner OF the
yIinaalayas. but operating, for the
purposes OF the story. In London.