Evening star., 1933-08-27

Here is a clue for Inspector Midwinter, but
it leads in an odd and unexpected direction.
The queer crystal curio OF the retired seaman,
Capt. Palk, with one Of its sharp spikes broken
of, furnishes another and more valuable clue.
Inspector Midwinter's brilliant but eccentric
idea Of reconstructing the whole scene Of the
murder nearly costs him his life but succeeds
in putting the criminal into handouts In the
end he is obliged to revise his belief that a
person Of noble character cannot commit q
crime, not to the detriment Of estimable Miss
Hoddy, but to the destruction Of one who.
through an odd mental quirk, had come to be-
lieve that his duty to humanity required the
commission Of a crime, which was yet in his
eyes no sin. The law does not however, make
allowance for his ethical code and, as Mid
winter says. "the future word for him is
'BroadmOor'"
PRESENTING LILY MARS By Booth Tark-
ington. Garden City; Doubleday Dosan
d Co.
I IKE Anne Douglas Sedgwick's "Tante." Lily
l. Mars is an altogether convincing genius in
fiction. Sure Of her vocation either oblivious
or scornfuI of any other, ruthless in her de-
mand for success, selfish often vulgar, absorb
ing .adulation greedily, capable Of rare moments
Of tenderness gloAous in her triumphs, Lily
steps lightly or treads relentlesSly through hfe
Owen Gilbert, playwright, discovers Lily Mars
while on visit to his mother in his native
Midwest town. He recoils with distaste from
his mothers suggestion that he hear the village
genius "recite." When he succumbS, be finds
Lily entirely without the modesty which might
be expected before a successful playwright and
openly indignant that the word amateur
should be applied to her. He is repelled by her
exuberance and bored by her assumption Of
genius (both Of which sentiments are to be re-
placed BY others later). Mrs. Gilbert, Owens
mother, q natural intrigante arranges . spec
tacular meeting between Lily and George Hur-
ley. manager of the company playing Owens
play. "Cstalpa House" Hurley Is as bored and
disgasted with Lily Is Owen (Hs feeling is
also soon to be replaced by another) The
means by which, in spite Of the initial antipathy
Of author and manager. Lily Is In an incredibly
short time . member Of Hurleys company are
part Of the plot of Mr. Tarkington's humorous
serious tale. As the company starts on tour.
Owen IS to his uncomfortable SURPRISE en-
trusted by Mrs. Mars with the care Of that
precious essence" which is Lily. TT may need
protection" she says. It does
Owen never knows Just how he has come to
be considered the angel Of the Mars family.
He has never intended to have anything to do
with Lily. His mother schemer that she is
could have enlightened him. At the end when
Lily has enthraied all the men whom she at
first antagonized. we are very certain that Mrs.
Gilbert also has some inside information and
complete satisfaction in connection with Lily's
choice. The stage is one of Mr. Tarkington's
loves and we know We read that he has
hugely enjoyed writing this novel of stage
people and their emotions, successes and in
trigues. Lily will rank one Of his most
original creations. certainly equal to Alice
Adams. Claire Amber. young Mrs. Greeley, and
the scion Of the house Of Anderson.