At first glimpse, "The Lawbreaker" at the St. James promised to be a rather well-coated pill of conventional morality. Then by dextrous sleight of hand the reform play became a potential tragedy, the theme of which was, "Mind your own business"; the calomel was changed for quinine. And at the last, of course, was dragged in the inevitable happy ending, for the sake of the sugar. A surprise play it was, in other words, with the plausible cleverly substituted for the logical at each turning point. A psychological study it was, too, of not inconsiderable power.

As a melodrama it was well suited to the St. James company. As a study in psychology it was well suited; to this was due, perhaps, that indefinable regret for lost opportunities.

As Father Spaulding Harold Chase did an especially fine piece of work, so fine that it ran risk of escaping notice by reason of its very restraint. Mark Kent made a ruthless and unscrupulous financier, yet with an almost superstitious reverence for the letter of the law. Walter Gilbert's lawbreaker was more than characteristically good; and, playing with unusual reserve, Miss Roach, as the banker's daughter with a penchant for reform, had well-deserved success. And Evata Nudsen made a really charming Gold-digger, perhaps over vociferous at times, perhaps too frequent and vehement in her assertions that she was a "good girl", for that is one of those things that should need no assertion--but that is the fault of the author, and this is an American play.