rightly judge that most of _The House of Courage_ is rather more frankly sensational than Mrs. RICKARD'S previous war-work; but it remains an excellent yarn. * * * * * When _Esmé Hillier_, possessed by _The Imp_ (HODDER AND STOUGHTON), was only ten, in a fit of annoyance she pushed the hero (to whom she had had no previous introduction) into the sea. I have some sympathy with her energetic protest, for a Highland Chieftain even at the age of sixteen should know better than to row about in an open boat kissing a young lady. _Esmé_, a pained spectator, showed her public spirit by punishing his bad form, but in the act she sealed her own fate, for after this it was inevitable that they should ultimately marry each other, the girl of the kissing episode notwithstanding. The immediate incentive to their union, which was by the Scotch method, was that _Esmé_ had applied mustard-plasters to a Cabinet Minister's person by affixing them to his dress-suit, and _Tourntourq_, the Chieftain, had nobly attempted to bear the blame. Though married in haste they did not wait for leisure before they repented, but commenced quarrelling at once, until _Esmé_, in order to test his love and that of an admirer who was helping to complicate matters, "bobbed" her hair and threw the severed tresses at her husband. After this they separated. Presently the War came, and the admirer, who was really quite a nice person, was killed, and _Tourntourq_, who was apparently a lunatic, though that is not stated in so many words, was blinded. It seems quite superfluous to add that _Tourntourq_ wins the V.C. and recovers both sight and wife in the last chapter; but there are such good patches in the book that I cannot help hoping that some day WILSON MACNAIR will try her hand (I feel it is _her_ hand) at another, which I shall really believe in all through. * * * * *