Tue Fova Srracccers: by Frank L.
Packard. (Hodder & Stoughton, London).
We remember hearing of an old colonel who devoured French novels with great gusto, but who always looked at the last chapter to see if the hero married the girl. If he did, the colonel read the tale; if not, the book went into the fire. We feel sure that "The Four Stragglers'" would be read by the old man from cover to cover.
The four of them are introduced in the prologue. By a singular coincidence they meet on the battlefield, huddling together for protection against the bursting shells and bombs. Three of the four are downright scoundrels: Captain Francis Newcombe (Shadow Varne), whokz, the war converted into a "T. G." (Temporary Gentleman), is the arch-villain, and has as his accomplices his "valet," Runndils, and @ suave but crafty Frenchman named Paul Cremarre. The last of the four is Howard Locke.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.