The New York herald., 1922-09-24

Locke. Dodd, Mead & Co.
n N the title of what still remains his
best novel. THE Beloved vagabond,'
Mr. Locke has epitomized his unfail.
ing formula, his trick of tricks. for dis
arming his reader and securing his al
legiance. His heroes to be sure, are not
all vagabonds or mountebanks; but they
are all abnormal. eccentric, disturbing ele-
ments in any placid, conventional COM
munity. Mr.. Locke shows you their worst
mildly exaggerates. Then. as he subtly pro-
ceeds to throw on the softening sidelights
you find yourself making excuses, finding
indulgence for the amiable reprobate OF
attractive egotist, as the case may be-and
presently you have taken him to your
heart
Alexis Triona is one of the best examples
of the success of this method. He is what
plain spoken folk would call colossal
liar. He lies smoothly, convincingly. pic
turesquely and without any compulsion-
excepting in so far as lie to be sue.
cessful must be bolstered up by other lies.
He has leaped into sudden fame as the
author of an amazing war book per-
sonal narrative of nameless sufferings as
a prisoner in Russian military camps. His
name is on the lips of all London: every
one is eager to lionize this new genius
who although a naturaized Russian is
an Englishman by birth and has pictured
his martyrdom with the vivid color of an
artist and the cadenced prose of a poet.
In point Of fact Alexis Triona is counter
felt from start to finish; his book his suf-
ferings, his alleged Russian citizenship, his
very name are Pigments of his nimble
brain. A few years earlier he was just
plain John Briggs. ragged, semi-ig-
norant. seafaring English lout," whose row.
ing disposition presently landed him In
Russia as courier chauffeur of a Prince,
whose personal interest gave his protege
opportunity for education and self-develop-
ment. When the war broke out chance
presently put Briggs into British uni
form, and the armistice found him still on
Russian soil with a British naval rating.
He might always have remained John
Briggs but for his finding one day beside
a dead Russian, a fat little black covered
diary of amazing adventures" That diary.
translated into highly imaginative English,
was Triona's open sesame to London So
ciety.
If Olivia Gale had not been an ultra
modern girl with her own share of
wanderlust, she might have stagnated in
the modest country home her dead father
left her along with some shares in a
business corporation. But Olivia refused to
stagnate. Despite the dismay and protest
of her two devoted old friendsSand trustees
she insisted upon renting the house, SELL
the money lasted. In London she meets
Triona, on the topmost crest of his first
vogue. Like Desdemona she loves him
for his past sufferings; and Triona, re-
freshing his memory from the fat little
diary, gives her private version so beau
tifully keyed up to meet her expectations
that he rushes her through courtship, we'd
ding and honeymoon on record time.
Now the theme of success achieved from
a stolen manuscript is a fairly familiar
theme in fiction One recalls, among other
cases, "The Giants Robe" which was one
of the best sellers couple of decades ago.
Where Triona's case is exceptional is that
his stolen robe is none too large for the
shoulders Of so gigantic a liar. And when,
elated by this first success, he follows it
with q work that is frankly fiction, he
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