Evening star., 1926-12-05
BOOK REVIEWS

wnom the imprisoned man loved-an
extra whet to his vengeance. without
doubt. The pursuit of each Of these
malefactors, the special measure
adopted to suit the case of each one.
the successes and near failures and
nnal complete triumph of Masterson
make up the steps In a romance that
grows steadily In excitement and in
terest. The novel has outstanding
points of excellence. First, there is
the standing OF Masterson and the
depth of his humiliation. Nothing
elSe-only one thing else. rather
compares with the ignominy of i'm
prisonment. even under innocence.
Then there is the fine quality of the
man. quality that is maintained
even under seeming bitterness Of re-
venge, under the real bitterness Of the
revenge. though this is lightened
finally through Masterson's essential
higness of nature. In construction.
too. tho story Is comparatively free
from thin and implausible spots of
invention. A good story throughout.
THE KEY MAN. BY Valentine
Williams. author of THE Man
With the Club Foot" Boston,
Houghton Miff1in Co.
WE are told that the love of man
for man surps sses every other
emotion. Such is the theory upon
which this novel is constructed
Upon his wedding night Rex Gar
rett under the magic words "El Ras"
leaves the garden of his honey
moon bower and is whisked off
to Paris. leaving the bride wait
ing his immediate coming to the
house. From this point begins
the individual quest of the young
husband of the friend who has sum
moned him and the taking over Of
that friends suddenly curtailed
career. From this point also begins
the new life of the deserted wife,
life that soon develops into pursuit
Of the husband on her part and upon
the discovery Of much that puzzles
and terrifies her. Long she watches
him in circumstances that spell only
trea cherry toward herself-but, you
know 1t is not that. Everything that
takes place moves. sometimes errati-
cally, but moves always toward re-
union between the two and full
und erst nding. The author NaS held
this interim with good ingenuity Of
plausible variety in a setting that
quite by itself makes for romance.
The Basque country, with echoes
from Morocco and the North African
desert forms the brilliant background
of this romance and by way Of the
Foreign Legion sets the chief con
trhutory lines of the theme OF the
adventure itself. Ingenious and en-
tertaining throughout despite its
initial strain upon the credulity of
the reader.
THE WONDERING; MOON. BY
George Weston. author of Queen
Of the World" etc. New York:
Dodd, Mead & Co.
THE author doubtless set out here
to write a happy story. and that's
what he has done. Around a young
woman of the super quality in which
the present specializes he weaves
enough of problem and difficulty to
set even Solomon himself a-thinking
But if you imagine that he stumps
that young woman with his prob
lems-money gone. robbery commit
ted. fraud against her perpetrated.
enemies in her own household active,
to name hut few of her hesetments
why. there is where YOU make q
mistake. All OF these she works
through to their source. besides taking
care of rival lovers and playing
cha peron to two very delightful and
attractive sisters. A glad and tri.
Polyanna sort Of girl goes
along ahead "f you here. beckoning
you toyously to come along while she
turns a trick of disclosure about every