adored her father, but quite blandly
deceived him about her own amorous adventures. A pretty tangle, you
observe, and I am not sure that I can wholly acquit the author of
some cowardice in her manner of cutting it. But undoubtedly _Autumn_
remains a story to read, and remember.

* * * * *

Since Mr. H. PERRY ROBINSON'S name must be familiar to most of us
by now as that of one of the very select company of journalists who
monopolise seats at the Front, one naturally turns with interest from
his daily despatches to a sustained narrative. His account of last
year's battle of the Somme, which he names _The Turning Point_
(HEINEMANN), is as lively and vigorous a recital as can well be
imagined of events hardly the less thrilling because already
well-known. Although he disclaims expert knowledge of strategies, he
is at least uncommonly well qualified to appraise the things he saw.
"Before July, 1916, our Army," he says, "was like a small hoy hoping
to grow up and be big enough to lick a bully some day. Told to attack
him before he felt sure of his own strength, the small boy would not
have been sorry to wait a bit longer, but the pressure against Verdun
and against the Russians had to be relieved, and so with steadily
increasing skill and confidence the attack was made, and day after day
fresh units proved themselves more than a match for the enemy." The
result was a series of victories--Mametz, Contalmaison, Pozieres,
Guillemont, Thiepval, Beaumont-Hamel--and the writer is able to
associate with each immortal name the regiments there engaged, all
heroes, for "there were no stragglers." Indeed, if there is a weakness
in the book it is that the insistent recording of the individual
heroism of different battalions tends to become monotonous. But what
a fault! It is a monotony of British valour crowned by a monotony of
British triumph.

* * * * *

A point that will hardly avoid your notice in the plot of _In the
Night_ (LONGMANS), by Mr. R. GORELL BARNES (now Lord GORELL), is the
exiguous part played in its elucidation by the Great Investigator, who
(as usual) happens to be on the spot and able to place his services
at the disposal of the local authorities. It is, I suppose due to the
Sherlockian tradition these unhappy persons, the local detectives,
must always be supplemented by a superior and high-handed expert. I
think, from his preface, that the author does