Evening star., 1932-01-31

release and freedom.
A romance that, burrowing deep has come
up with startling discovery. A discovery that
relies not at all upon superficial convention
Rather one that depends upon basic human
nature, upon the irresistible power Of habit
ingrained to brain and blood action upon
psychological and spiritual denial Of release
fYona wedlock
A CLUE FROM THE STARS. BY Eden Phil
potts, author Of The Grey Room etc. New
York: The Macmillan Co.
CO fierce and fast Is the murder order OF the
- moment that q deliberate crime or one
whose detection lags is to a degree out of the
running IN general interest 1t is for this rea
son that murder fans may turn away from
Mr.. Philpotts in this mystery tale In search Of
methods more IN harmony with the hurry-up
crime situation Of today.
This the way Of it. Sir Julian Marchant
Of Clyst Warrington, Devonshire stroled across
the fields one night TO dine with a family OF
friends. Leaving, not late, round about IL
O'Clock, to walk back to his own home, Tudor
Manor Sir Julian disappeared. No cause for
foul play existed, for Sir Julian was man much
loved by friends and neighbors, by the servants
on his estate, by the public generally
benevolent, kindly, generous man. But there
was the fact. He was gone. No trace OF any
tectives were brought down from Scotland
Yard They, too, walked across the fields, along
the plain and simple road taken by Sir Julian
himself. walked around, and went back to
Londcn without thought in mind as to the
taking off of Sir Julian. They came again. Went
through the same maneuvers once more. And
left no wiser than they came. A bloodhound
was set to the trail He followed IT to the CEN
ter of an open field and stopped. Nothing
more And so the story moves steadily and
a bit stodgily to the impatient reader about
swift vengeance and brutal reprisalS. But Mr..
Phillpotts is in no hurry, for he follows clues
to his better liking than the open ones OF
familiar pattern. He is trailing psychological
situations and digging out the movements and
actions derived therefrom. So, very slowly, and
very surely this author works back TO any
mental state that might point upon brute force
and disaster to the man mysteriously
snatched away without trace of the agent OF
such violence. And, in his own good time, by
way of following up mental reactions, generally,
through feelings and impulses and actions IN
a plain sequence of undertaking cause and ell
feet, Mr.. Phllpotts arrives and the mystery
Of Sir Julian'S death becomes clear and In
measure as unavoidable as logic itself. fine
exercise for the reader bent that way as well
as an absorbing event to follow for substantial
diversion.
THE PROPHETIC MARRIAGE BY warwick
Deeping author of "Sorreu and Son." etc.
New York: GrosSet & Dunlap, Publishers.
TRIAL by error becomes the method OF this
| romance of youth by warwick Deeping. The
subject of the experiment is a boy of fine
quality born of real parents who bequeathed
him high ideals and not SO very much besides.
Then these two died, leaving the youth there
after to the universal mentor Of boyhood, girls
and women.
This boy by virtue of his essential self and
his good lineage, looked upon all women as
different expressions Of one great idea, perfec-
ton You know the story. You know the
series of assault upon the lad, and the misery
of his gatherings to soul and spirit. Then, as
he would, this boy Tod married the one rare
bit of handiwork that came straight from
heaven itself. Secretly to the girl, money and
having "naice" things, getting out of the shop,
an easy time, these had been the motive
power of all the soft looks and endearing words.
The marriage served one of the good purposes
of that institution, it brought an atom OF
reality into an otherwise unreal world.
Young Tod had a guardian angel. wise
old man who loved the boy and could have
spoiled him utterly For he a rich man
who literally ached to help the youngster out
of his matrimonial mess. But, wise, he knew
that time was better fxer, more inspired
mentor than he could hope to Be, So, as the
very height of sagacity, he kept stir and stayed
away till, finally the marriage Lied violently