The New York herald., 1922-07-02

But the foundation Of his fortune is
unstable. AS the financier of an
older order remarks of him. he got
rich too quickly. In fact. although
the others do not suspect it. he is
really tottering to a financial fall.
The titular hero Of the piece. DR..
Sangree, a naturally sedate young
scientist of 80, who has just come
back from distressing war service in
the Balkans. is. of course. involved in
Mohun's impending ruin. as his for
tune is invested in one of Mohun's
enterprises. Equally, of course. he is
gradually falling in love with Cherry,
although neither of them realizes
that.
There is also the familiar motive of
the elderly suitor for Cherry's hand,
the 45-year-oId Chicester, who is
soundly wealthy and socially of the
elect. He has lived a rich purple life
and is now ready to settle down. He
is an. intelligent, efficient type, and
there is no crudity in Mr.. Gibbs's
presentation of him. When the
smash comes he offers himself and
his millions as the purchase price for
the girl. Her mother urges the sac
rifice. but any novel reader can FORE
see that Cherry is going to be saved
by her own courage and the inciden-
tai aid of the noble young scientist.
But the whole business is very deftly
managed. Cherry rises to the occa-
sion and saves the pieces" out OF
the wreck after her father succumbs
to stroke of paralysis.
Incidentally, it is refreshingly
novel to meet a heroine of to-day
who is tempted to try the motion
picture path only to find that she
does not photograph well and that
she doesn't really like the idea. In
stead. she goes back to the good old
fashioned expedient of becoming
cloak model in a department store.
The most searching and understand
ing bit of psychology in her case is
the portrayal of her remorse. after
the smash, as to her failure to under
stand and help her father. She real
ICES too late that he has needed her.
that she might have helped. that he
wanted her to help. but that she has
failed In all that passage NJ. Gibbs
is dealing. with mastery efficiency.
with real fundamentals of err.otion.
But by far the best thiag in the
book is the study of Alicia, old
Mohuns wife and Cherry's mother
She is not overdone. but she is han
died unsparingly-the woman who
has deliberately sought outward COM
fort and social success at the expense
of nearly everything that really mat
ters. She is no monstrosity; she is
only too common in reality. Her
chief personal occupation is the pre-
servation of her own very real
beauty. In the end. after her hus-
bands death. she manages to capti-
vate the solidly rich Chicester and
succeeds in marrying him: sar-
donically satisfying conclusion. Mr.
Gibbs's analysis of her is a MASTER
piece; among American writer's of
| fiction one must go to Mrs. Wharton
te find anything comparable.
There is plenty of incident. some
of it dramatic. some of it a little too
melodramatic, but, on the whole. very
well managed. The weak and mildly
vicious Bob. Cherry's brother. who
ends with forgery and theft. is a
little dragged in by the ears, and the
heroic DIR. Sangree is not much more
than hero. but he does well enough.
The rather large chorus of flappers.
jazzing boys ct al. is very well han
died. II there remains a certain
artifieiality about the climax of the
story it is not enough TO cheaper il
materially. And it is a wholesome,
genuinely upbuilding book. as we'll as
a thoroughly interesting one
II. i. PANGBORN.