SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 227, 19 June 1920, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

Archibald Marshall's Novels'. Reference was made, a week or two ago, in "Liber's Note Book" to a now cslected.°and cheaper, dditibh of Archibald Marshall's well-written Btories of English country life to be published by Hodder and Stoughtou. The first volume of the series, is now to hand from Messrs. Whitcombb aiid Tombs, the title being "Tho Squire's "Daughteri" This is' tha first of four jiovels- in which Mr. 'Marshall traces ■ the fortunes of , a wealthy -county' family,- the*- Clintons. ■"Mr. Marshall is Arithony Trollope's-true successor. He has a loisurely,■• agreeable style, and makes up" for the lack of any- strongly dramatio motif by the excellence of his character-'drawing. It is said that English county society such as here depicted is.dying dut'fl's'tho result ofvvarious economic causes. If, so these pleasant, wholesome, 1 and very "readable stories of Mr. Marshall's-hav.e. ascertain '.'•historical- interest and -value:In 'addition' 'to, the' four : - ."Clliriton" stories' the series is to include other excellent novels, such as "Exton Manor," 'TUckard. Baldock," "Boding 'Rectory-"', and "Abingdon ibbey." The volumes are.well printed, and, as book' prices, go. nowadays,' : . are moderately priced at' three.and sixpence. '. "The' Last of the Grenvilles," - .•- Mt. , - Bonnet: ■ Copple'stono, author of f'The Last of the Grenvilles" - (John Murray,- per_ Whitcombe and Tombs); 'skilfully utilises in his latest story ;that wide-and intimate acquaintance- with naval life which he put to such good use in his earlier books, "The Lost Naval Papers" and "The Secret of the Navy." His hero, young Richard Gren-' ville, is. the son' of an' ex-naval officer; Who puts his son into the marine underwriting business much • against the lhd's will. . Both father and son - are keen'yachtsmen- and' wheri the war breaks out: Granville senior ib- given the command ;of a' converted liner, and takes his' son with him. The Grenvilles have- many exciting experiences in the Channel and elsewhere .in Home waters. ' and . eventually find themselves on the' Ark, Royal, which is, .'cruising in'the South Pacific, when Admiral von Spee, intoxicated'with hjs success oyer the ;weak British squadron at CoroneJ,-' is dreaming; of attacking ! and making himself master of the Falktendsi A clever 'trick with." faked wireless' spoils von. Spec's plans, the British' squadron ' being thus''' afforded ' time to come np, but the Ark •■'Royal : is sunk by the Scharnhorst. and senior, is killed. The son is'rescued,'treated kindly by the Gorman' admiral, and Handed at a South American port,'later: on reaching England in safety and taking part'in the Battle of Jutland. It is a fine,,, breezy,' exciting story whioh Mr: Copnlestbne tolls, and- one well- worth reading, ' '■-'--■ -. .. ■ " : The Man Who Broke tha Rule." : Lance Harrison, a handsome 'young man of'expensive tastes, but with: empty pockets, is on,the point of being kicked out of a,West End hotel when he at-, tracts/the attraction of. an .elderly but very' Ayealthy widp.y r who, after only, two or .three,; days'' acquaintanceship' between., the.pair, proposes that he should' marry. her. .Harrison agrees, but soon finds mar■ried -life .with-,, so. elderly ' a mate unspeakably {edipua.- Meeting a,young and attractive lady he. conceals the fact .'that. he is married, and that his., wealth, cornea f i qm : his-wife, the .latter being taken by -the- young lady to be. his; mother. Tho wifo dies, leaving Harrison' her: fortune,; but.the:girl he loves having learnedi.the source of his wealth, indignantly; rejects'him; In-the lonjr run, however,' thp young man abandons his. fortune, and is forgiven and accepted. Of" all this an'd much'more you may read in May Edgington's story, "The Man Who Broke the. Rule" (Casseil and Co.; - per .Whitcombe and Tombs). The story is -not ■ ill told,- but I confess-that to me Harrison's .repentance seems unduly belated;'and that such an arrant bounder'scarcely deserves the love he finally gtfiiiSi'■■'•'•■ '•'-'" '■•''•'••• ';:' '■■■■•■■'■.•,