arn ne, Peace Kscr:"—5; Migs Ethel M. Dell shows a refreshing disposition to turn on her critics in ber latest romance, "The Diack Knight," writes. Lydia Languish in "John o'London's Week Ly."" She is perhaps a litre tired of Doing twitted for hee predilection for the "atrong, silent" type of hero, and she has accordingly reversed' her engines and awarded the role to her Villain, a. thorough paced specimen of the type which must have inspired the gipsy to utter her historic warning.
Major Bullivant, ¥.c, possesses an exterior which, to outward seeming, is calculated to win the heart of romantic: maidenhood, except for, cruel mouth, partially concealed by military moustache, As a rule, the "gentle and perfect knight" is the possessor of an uncouth exterior, which, until the very end, conceals the heart of gold beating in the strong and silent one's breast, "The White Rabbit"
The real hero on this occasion presents so flabby an appearance that he is generally referred to as "the white rabbit." His description certainly seems to justify the nickname:— lashes "und "nocligibie "eyebrows his "eyes were pale "alone wih, shots face hod the anne Took the dark. He waa Slean'shaven, und. his"ipe turned "me arent which ride "fe stooped ra Skiraceritie which suet rival inf all dsninctios 'Yet, tnerringty, the reader grasps that the genius' of Miss Dell wil somehow or another produce her Black Knight from the unpro material of a white rabbit, The Perfect Gentleman Heer heroine, Ermine Devereux, it not altogether a "penniless lass," has "a long pedigree," her incon siderable dower consisting of a small manor-house in en' inaccessible part of the country, with a Black Knight for "haunt, and no emoluments whatsoever. She. lives with her sister, Joyce, who is mar-Fied to a delicious Hildebrand Courtenaye of Courtenaye, though untitled held his hal ary Pish In'the countes." He was the atacter the Courtinaye foxhounds, Hildebrand, strictly speaking, docs not always conform to conventional nasty habit of deep breathing" and "showing his teeth like a snarling animal." But then, Miss Devereux, whose family Was even older, has eyes which, when their owner felt annoyed, "took a curious yellow tinge, panther-like, unfathomable."
There is an unforgettable scene between those two in the study at. Courtenaye." Ermine is xent for and (thoughtlessly) takes her riding whip with her.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.