A Gentleman of Courage

by James Oliver Curwood

This is an old (1924) book my daughter picked up for me at a thrift shop. It was a fun change of pace. And I always love reading a book with a frayed old style binding, imagining all the other people who read it before me.

The book is set in the Canadian wilderness. Unknown to Peter, his father had committed a crime several years earlier in defense of Peter's mother. Now the law is tracking him down, and for Peter's sake, his father manages to evade the officers while sneaking Peter to a friend's home in a tiny mill town before disappearing for good. Heartbroken, Peter is determined to slip away and find his father, until he is distracted by a beautiful orphan girl named Mona. His honor and his heart demand that he stay and protect Mona from the brutal Aleck Curry.

I love the old-fashioned portrayal of relationships of all kinds. People are affectionate, spouses are fiercely loyal and devoted to each other. The story seems a little unlikely by today's standards, but it is entertaining all the same.