Wanderer and King. By 0. V. Caine. (J. Nisbet and
Co. 6s.) —The story of Charles's flight after Worcester will always have a fascination for people of all ages. Mr. Caine has revived it with a skilful use of the known facts of the King's wanderings, materials which, however, he has only used to give the necessary outlines to his narrative. He has used his own judgment well in making the familiar companions of Charles's wanderings act and talk freely. The primary hero is a Virginian boy, who possesses a remarkable likeness to the King,—a likeness which again and again saves the King when treacherous Latour has gained the confidence of the Royalists. It is this M. Latour, the villain of the story, on whom we must congratulate Mr. Caine ; his adroitness, his boldness, his readiness and resource, are truly wonderful, and he is a very human ruffian with it all. One knows he is to fail, and that diminiehes some- what from the interest one feels in him; but he is the principal character in the book, to our thinking, and the manner of his death and final disappearance awakens a keen regret. Charles is well drawn; so are Johnny Erle, the Virginian, and young Trenchard. The story is a very goad one ; certainly we have seen no better one by a modern writer which takes the adventurous romance of "after Worcester" for its plot. We anticipate that most young readers will agree with us, and many older ones will acknowledge the interest which the clever Latour excites. We have nothing but praise for historical fiction of this stamp.
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