Evening star., 1939-02-19

did not know how to sail a ship
and that they must have one white
man to direct them. He accordingly
agreed to navigate the vessel across
the Pacific, back to China, where the
coolies were determined to go. He
did SO, and this book is the story of
his journey, his struggles to keep the
Cinnamon from eating all the food
IN the first course of the voyage, to
prevent them from splitting into
factions and fighting. to control
their use of the opium and wine
which were in the ships cargo
and so on.
1t might have been a rip-snorting
kind OF narrative. but actually Mr..
Whitehorne has made it very mild.
He visualizes the young Army officer
as dreamy, pensive sort of fellow
whose mind was more occupied with
philosophical speculation than with
realities. AS result, the story takes
on a thoughtful rather than an ad-
venturous cast. Still, 1t is an inter-
esting bit Of history.
Spring Journey
By Genera Stephenson. Nev
York: The Macmillan Co.
Readers who are looking for a
good old-fashioned odzooks romance
had best get this book. For it is
done in the best high-f1own odzook-
ing manner, and it has all the prop
critics, too, even to beautiful titled
lady who scampers about the high
ways of that so-merrie England dis
guised as a boy-and for what rea-
son? Why, to keep herself from an
unWelcome marriage into which she
is about to be forced by a black
hearted scoundrel of a brother. Can
you believe it? AS Mr.. Squeers re-
marked, here, obviously, is richness.
Well. 1t is one of those things. The
lovely Lady Helen has to find refuge,
as those lovely ladies were always
having to do, back in the convenient
days of the Pretender, and SO she
runs, 1ncontinent, into the rustic
studio of Tom Piers, the artist who
hates all women, and wildly offers to
become his stable boy. Whereafter,
she beautifully faints. My, my-how
times have changed, to be sure!
After that, Lady Helen and Tom
set out to wander. A pack of merci-
less enemies is right at their backs,
adding, as it were, zest. So Tom
and the lady very naturally make
friends with gypsies, highwaymen
and even-strolling players. And
thus they go-odzooking around,
having escapes so narrow that none
but the veriest novice of a reader
will expect them ever to be caught,
And bye-and-bye the enemies are
thrown of, the chase is laid and
Tom, the woman hater, discovers
that he loves Lady Helen. And Lady
Helen, of course, has long since been
pining for Tom. So that is that.
Jeffrey Farnol's complete works and
ITO Have and To Hold" capsuled
into one. Your moneys worth-or
nothing.
Royal Escape
By George Heyer. New York.:
Doubleday, Dordn & Co.
This historical novel presents a
single episode in the life of Charles
II of England, his escape to France
after defeat by Cromwell, and cov-
ers, In time, little more than a
month. It is, presumably, true to
the historical facts, but Miss Heyer's
Interpretation of Charles character
is her own. He is shown here as a
youth of 81, rightful King, but de-
prived of his throne by Cromwells
Roundheads. He Is q swarthy, lest
Ing youth with completely dis
arming manner. Indeed, the affec.
ton he was able to inspire In his
followers foretold his eventual re-
turn to his throne.
In the indignity of flight from
Worcester he maintains an ad-
mirable sense of values, even q
lively sense of humor. Charles is
known as much for his lascivious-
ness as for his straighter role in
history, and there is some inkling
Of that side of his nature in Royal
Escape" But this, remember, was
before the days of Mistress Nell
Gwynn and the others in the long
procession of his amours.
Miss Heyer is able to show why
he was allowed to escape through q
tight net set by his enemies and,
although 1t is impossible to forget
the King Charles later became.
it is easy to see why he was blessed
with loyal, true friends-even why
he deserved them.
Royal Escape" is written without
the dash and color Of many current
historical novels, but 1t is an honest,
substantial picture Of an interesting
and important event. E. T.