21 MAY 1904, Page 20

Deals. By Barry Pain. (Hodder and Stoughton. 5s.)—There is a

certain sameness about Mr. Pain's studies of "deals," but it must be owned that until they pall the stories are extremely amusing. The transactions described are mostly very much more than shady, and any one who has " deals " of his own to conduct in the City, and who reads this little collection, will probably notice that for about a fortnight he is twice as sus- picious as usual of the ultimate aims of the men with whom he comes in contact. At the same time, Mr. Barry Pain endues most of his characters with a teach of genial villainy which makes them quite attractive. ,