Judith Grant. By Jeannie Lockett. 3 vols. (Hutchinson.)— Of all
curious ways of bringing man and woman together, Miss Lockett has hit upon the most curious. Robert Dene, having been jilted in his youth, and having vainly endeavoured for sixteen years to reconcile himself to life, resolves to quit it, and accordingly repairs to a place with the appropriate name of "Dead Man's Pool." While he is meditating on his purpose, toying, we might almost say, with the happiness in prospect, a young woman, bent on the same errand, comes down to the pool. Robert Dene gives up for a time his own intention, and argues with the damsel, though feeling all the time a certain weakness in his cause. Finally, they make a compact. Neither is to commit suicide for the space of three years. After that, liberty of choice is restored to them. Robert Deno offers to adopt the young lady, but her father not unnaturally suggests that he should marry her, which, with a quite Arcadian disregard of laws, he does that same after- noon, a minister, whose denomination is prudently not given, aiding and abetting by performing the ceremony. The situation thus treated has always a certain interest about it. We have seen very readable novels which describe a man falling in love with his own wife, and Miss Lockett's story has something of this quality.
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