Slow Train

ILLUSION -- Arthur Train -- Scribners ($2.50).

Author Arthur Train deserted the legal profession to indict law and society in novels (Page Mr. Tutt, Tut, Tut! Mr. Tutt, etc., etc.) which have been as readable as they were scathing. But the Train output has now slid off into a slow, melodramatic, sentimental tale of a prestidigitator who breaks into a New York society composed of retired truck-drivers. A truck-driver's debutante daughter lures the magician, but his old flame and vaudeville partner gets him back by misplaying their best act. The act: blindfolded, the girl stands on the stage holding a plate in her hand. Four men inspect marked bullets and regulation rifles, proceed to the gallery, shoot at her. A terrific explosion titillates hysterical audiences, but the girl calmly catches the marked bullets, rolls them in her plate. The misplay: the girl deliberately neglects to substitute graphite for regular cartridges. The prestidigitator gathers her wounded body to him, vows to pass up the debutante.