NEW BOOKS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144777, 6 September 1915, Page 4

NEW BOOKS.

Tbs Fires of Hate. —By Ray Bridges. London; Hoddcr and fstougluon, Ltd. This story takes the reader back to the days when convicts were sent out to Botany Bay in the earliest years of last century. The first scene is laid at Drurv Lau© Theatre in the year 1800, where Margaret Ellorton, a new star, was taking her benefit and' playing Juliet. John Redby, son of a country squire, who is seeing London, is introduced .to the lovely Ellerton by Sir AVilliattr'WyaTfme, an cldorlv buck and leader of fashion., John Redbv is a handsome youpg fellow, and the JtUciton conceives a passion for him, which is reciprocated.' She has; another admirer, David Randall, whom she had. promised to marry in the days before she turned player. Haring, quarrelled with John Redby and sent him home sho repents and persuades Wraym© to accompany her by coach to the counter in order to try and make it up with Redbv. Randall sees her leave London with VTraym© as her companion, and putting a wrong construction on her action follows on horseback. Wrayme is sho> at the inn where Redby comes to meet the Ellerton, actually by Randall, but circumstances point to Redby as the murderer. He ts -arrested, tried, and transported to Sydney, whore lie Ims to undergo all the trials and baidships of the convicts. BeJore lie mot the Ellerton lie was betrothed to one Edith Malverne, lus father’s ward. his temporary infatuation for the actress, Edith refuses to believe that hens guilty of the crime with which ho is charged, and when Redby’? father dies, she "follow? her aflianced husband to Australia, and when he is released on ticket-of-leave marries him. Subsequently Randall' aiid Margaret Ellerton also turn up in Australia, where m the end Redby’s innocence is proved. It is a well-told story and throws an interesting light upon the treatment of convicts sent out to Sydney over a century ago. The Lure of the Labrador Wild, and The Long Labrador Trail.—By Dillon Wallace. London; Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd. The first of these is the story of an exploring expedition conducted by Leonidas Hubbard, jun., in which he was accompanied by the author. Hubhard loses his life in the Labrador wilds and Wallace is loft to record their adventure's, and, having promised Hubhard that he would complete the work they set out to do if Hubbard failed to return, the second volume is the story of Wallace’s second expedition, in'which he succeeded in completing what ho and Hubbard tried to do together. In simple but graphic language the author describes the progress of the little parties of explorers, who undergo such hardships and encounter such perils as make one wonder what is the fascination which calls men to tho wilds. Incidentally the reader may learn much that is interesting respecting the Indians and Esquimos who inhabit Labrador. ■