4 JUNE 1927, Page 25

THE SAVING CLAUSE. By " Sapper." (Hodder and ughton, 7s .

ad.)Vigour of narrative; facility of invention, d a broad, charitable humour again cliaracterize "Sapper's" ork. He leads us into a very pleasant world, in which the ighty, such as the Oliver Samuelsons, the vulgar nouveaux hes, are turned out of their newly acquired country seat rough their terror of a faked ghost, and in which the humble like Molly Delmont, the pretty little governess— are exalted the timely appearance of a Prince Charming with both ney and a marvellous physique. Sometimes " Sapper " .Purely farcical. But his fun, at its best, masks the serious le of life: The title-story, for example,, which describes voyage on which five desperadoes and one unfortunate ssig4V-4e,eooped up together in a cargo boat, is, for all absurdity, an illuminating commentary on two different ds of courage • while keen insight into feminine psychology derlies the study of Billie Cartwright, impossible as her oat adventures are. It is this faculty fdi combining extra-

inctio n

with essential truth thatgives "Sapper" his peculiar as a short-story writer.