BORRASCA

An odd off beat for Mr. Cohen in a novel of romance and fortune in the bonanza period of the Comstock Lode, in Nevada, and of the conflict between two one-time boyhood friends. Malcolm Douglas, son of the overseer of the plantation where Logan Berkeley grew up as the owner's son, in determined to outdo Logan when they meet again in Virginia City. Malcolm has loaned Logan the money that took him West, therefore Malcolm feels that the profits of Logan's mine should be his, that Althea, who had married Logan for his money, should also be his. Even after a fire had destroyed Logan's property- and his own mine had struck pay dirt, Malcolm relentlessly pursues his goal. When he leaves for San Francisco, with a fortune and with Althea, he is materially in ""bonanza"" but spiritually in ""borras"". Colorful background, an interesting theme, but marionette characters. Entertainment values.