SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 205, 24 May 1919, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

"Tho Counterbalance," Geoffrey Blair is the snn and heir of a millionaire who dies rather suddenly, leaving his son n letter in which, after reproaching him for having hitherto led an idle and useless life, ho requests him to abjure the vast fortune he was to inherit and set to work to curve out a career' for himself. There is, however, iii existence ft will made, fifteen years previously in. which the father's millions are left unconditionally to the eon. In his latest novel, "The Counterbalance"-

(Ward, Lock and Co., per Whiteombe and Tombs), that well-practised storyteller, Mr. Paul Trent, tells how tho young mail for a- time disregards the wishes of the. dead man and I akr-s possession of the enormous wealth- lie lias left, at tho same time "squsiring" his conscience, as he deludes himself he is doing, by entering the paternal ironworks and making himself a thoroughly efficient industrialist,. How. his decisiou affects his 1 relationship with the young lady to whom he is engaged', and hoV? the -long-continued and bitter conflict between honour and self-interest finally ■works out, 1 must' leavo it to readon; pf Mr. Trent's well-told 'etory to find out for themselves. An Attractive Gift Book, Mrs. Lilian M. Pyke's /'Phyl of tho Camp" (Ward, Lock and Co., per Whitcombo and Tombs) is an attractive sift' book, specially suitable as a present to a girl in her earlier teens. Mrs. Pyko proved, in her earlier stories "Max the Sport" and "Jack of St. Vigil's," that she possessed the storyteller's art in no smalt degree, and she now provides a story which is as pleasant reading for. girls as were her two earlier stories for boys. Phyl is a, jolly Australian girl who joins her father, a civil engineer, at a big railway construction away- back in Queensland. At first she is sorely tried by. tho indifference and coldness of her .father, who, -since losing his wifo when Phyl came into tho world, had had a. tepid affection for his daughter. Tho change, too, from college lifo in a busy city to the rough-and-ready existence of tho bush has its effect upon the girl's character, but she makes the acquaintance of a fine young fellow, Goof-' frey Foster, and a pretty little lovo story is s»ou developed. At first there is strong opposition from parents on both sides to the match, but the two. young people are as tactful and patient as they Are faithful, and all ends happily. Tho author is to be congratulated upon tho freshness and vivacity of her narrative, the descriptions of liiish life being full of picturesque and effective local colour. Tho book contains some excellent illustrations. "The Frcsdom of Fenella." "Tho Freedom of Fenella," - by E. Everett-Green (Stanley Paul eand Co.), has for heroine a young lady whoso father dies and leaves her to the ears of some selfish relations, who meanly uso the money left for hor education and upbringing for their benefit. She is befriended, however,- by a wealthy and eccentric lady, who quarrels with her only eon, a childhood friend of Fenella,' and leaves the orphan girl a fine old manor, lionso and a large fortune. Fenella travels and enjoys herself for a while, but later in meets her old acquaintance, the disin--herited son. The-pair fall in love, but honest Jack Chalfont fears that Fenella will think he is a fortune-hunter, and does not disclose his affection. FenelU now discovers a secret will, by which tho Chalfont fortune Is loft to Jock. llenunciation on both .sides, mutually avowed ; lovo and a hnpny ending of tho approved style, tlifi final" 'sentences of a brightlywritten story being: And Fenella- stole lier arms about liin neok. "0, Jock, you are 'rat)icr nice,'" she said. Those who like this kind of fiction, will doubtless greatly enjoy Miss Green's story.