Page, 4
AVERY SK BRISTOL MILK finest golden SHERRY
31170817
THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, MARCH 10, · 1953.
Talk with a wife
THE STORY sa told by Ralph Brown, of Scotland Yard. A man celled Pitt, under sentence of death for killing a Soho girl, is trying to bargain for his life by offering to reveal the identity of a master shy called Leonidos. Going over the murder trait, Brown-pretending to be a reportenmasts a scarfaced Pole called Rashki. The next mové is to see Pittà mija..
M
Suddenly I was aware that she WANTED her husband to hang
RS ANTONIA I remembered the dossier I PITT just didn't had read about her at Scotland look like a woman art: "Age 39, ex-fashion model; W.A.AF. during war; married whose husband is American
Air Force officer, due to be hanged for mur- divorced after three years; one der at the week-end.
daughter, living with father in Oklahoma; married Robert Isaac
pin, departmental chief, Civi Service, 1047."
She Fald:
titt don't
understand why you are here,
We sat facing each other across a log fire in her cot- tage near Dorking about 11 o'clock this morning, and I had to admit to myself that specior." For the first time a
Bicker of anxiety THIRD-DAY MOVES IN THE STORY was puzzled by her passed over altitude.
lovely. well-
Bart golden SHERRY
I
I had not expected to find
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hes
groomed face. "Is OF THE MAR WHO SAID:
her it about my
tears, or dead drunk, or hand? Is it possible THEY CAN'T HANG ME!
that
hic
may
in screaming the place down with that
they have hysteria.
But I bad not ex- found new evidence pected, either, to find her alone. -- and I did presume that she would be showing some reaction to the fact that a nouse was drawing very tight around the neck of the man she had married.
yet
Illustrations by ROBB
inventory yesterday. A detalled plan of the cartridge is missing. So la a small sample of the now material from which It WDS made."
in
R.M.MacColl's
COLUMN
Socko! and round goes the dean
NAGER to hear
the Red Dean of Canterbury mellifluous full which cry treat had somehow eluded me down the years-I made the pilgrimage the other night to Har- ringay Arena, where 10,000 comrades were celebrating the anni versary of something or other.
The dean was well worth the price of DR. HEWLETT JOHNSON at London admission whether Airport at the start of his
night to Canada. discussing the cost of u
www
our feathered friends do
meal in "People's China," inner sheet of glass to ensure talking of consumer-goods that output in Bulgaria, or re- not stray on to the sofas and vealing that Russia is "mak-
Ing the desert bloom like a rose."
I caught my breath. "When did it disappear? Has there been u search?"
"Yes, yes," said the Minister. wearily. "We know the plan i shook my head. "Don't calm, collected Surrey hosts and the material were there a build any hopes on that, Mrs She was looking at Rashki, and week ago, but that's all. Every Pitt. No, I am here because it was as if his presence had your husband has asked me to lighted a fire inside her. She man who came near the stores watched has been on the grill, but they get him a wallet. He left it fairly glowed as she under the seat of your
car. hin, and if she was lovely before haven't given us a clue." Perhaps we could go to
When I put down the telephone, the she looked beautiful
I now,
I buzzed for my assistant. He COME murderers' wives dash garage and find it."
"What's this newspaperman
came in, and when I saw what madly around getting people "Oh, that." She went acress doing here?" Rashki asked,
was under bis arm I felt a chili Others (the the room to a desk by the window coming towards me. to sign pelllions. ones who love in spite of every and rummaged in a drawer. "Newspaperman, Peter?" said crawling over me. "Two special in American show business as a thing) take sick in-
Presently she came Mrs Pitt, This is Inspector despatches from Group JIC," he side themselves with
back and handed me Brown from Scotland Yard." sald. sorrow and despair,
thin, leather wal- And, turning to me:
"Let me Tet. and you can see the
"The police introduce you to an old friend, ravages of grief on
found it when they searched their faces,
the car. the war when I was in the They sent it back WA.AF, and Peter was a plot last week. What with the RAF."
Then there are the wives who, though they are careful not to admit it even to themselves, are glatt that a nine o'clock walk will soon be making them single agoin.
All of them show of .Яign some emotion. And in the last few days before the execution, there
are always hordes of friends and neigh-
lines.
But there
He put over what is described
"socko" job,
chairs,
Minor hazard
HAD forgotten
Peter Rashkl We met during BROKE the seals and looked platform was on the boxing ring alon, the superimposed 'captions
at the short communications which they contained. I knew even before I read them that, coming on top of my conversa fioes Robert want Rashki had recovered himself. tion with the Minister, here was with that it's only and though the grin did not got old photographs come back, he held out his hand something I wasn't going to like.
SPECIAL
DESPATCH with
some show of amiability. RECIPIENTS IN GROUP
us mentioned the Neither of
ONE PLUS, said the first one. THIS MESSAGE IS RE previous meeting.
Antonia Pitt gestured for him STRICTED. IT MUST
NOT
In it?"
old
and
Ave
TO JIC
IT MUST NOT DE
one of the minor hazards of life in a country of two oficiat languages. When I went to see the film of Some of the other speakers appeared to forget that, as the "Ivanhoe" in the original ver- and thus in the middle of the on the screen were
In both
backs on arena, they were turning their French and Flemish,
holl the audience
Now, by the time a pleca ut during their harangues,
́dialogare like "Rather than sub- Not so the dean, who slowly cast myself from
mit to your advances I shall you battle. rotated as he spoke, thus giving ments" has been written in all a fair share of his presence. twice you can just about see the
head,
* As I watched I kept wonder. top of Elizabeth Taylor's pretty Ing of whom his speaking technique reminded me. He puts When he a great deal into it, mentions a great new Soviet power plant the dean himself becomes the power plant, arms outflung and eyes ablaze.
That apostrophe
I asked her if she minded if I looked inside. and ihen
to go inside, and then began to BE COMMUNICATED TO opened it. They
Bay goodbye to me. The glow ANYONE OUTSIDE YOUR indeed were
most of died out of her face and she was GROUP. snapshots,
cool
again as she said: "In- Ho
FILED. MESSAGE FOL them taken a long
there really any LOWS- spector, is time ago; hiking chance for Robert at alla slay
S you stroll around Brussels a half minutes At five and groups, students,
A of execution, I mean?"
you can believe that Belgium pradles
past against
a.m. today, from a Only there wasn't really any station.operating in West London
has a third offelal language --- bours arround to pat them on Montmartre and Florentine sky- sympathy in her
When he mocked the United voice. As I
English. There cannot be many understood the shoulder.
to be in com-
States for allowing the Dust dilles of this size outside the For Antonia Pitt, on the other
munication with the U.S.S.R., the two other looked into those grey eyes and were
her felt cold. I was suddenly aware following message
Bowl to happen and
soll British Isles which have such a in allen to hand, it might have been just pictures Dmong them-one another weck-day in Surrey. She picture I had never seen before that Antonia Pitt wanted her cypher was intercepted: "Hallo, dean was going to blow himself drinks of an
blow away." I thought the maps of advertising for British
all sorts, husband to hang. was calm, almost serene. Ske of Valentin Yuskov. man I
George. Hallo, George, Leonidos out of the stadium ka the
But, as so often with our Con- sat on the edge of an armchair, knew very well indeed: Three
Leonidos calling. calling
Illustration.
tinental friends, the British swinging a shapely
have obtained special material. leg at me. months I had the pleasure
have obtained special material. Though she
apostrophe gives a lot of trouble. Was
realised Reginald One is confronted dressed in of
Then I of politely throwing Mr Yuskov
with such It will come the freedom route. Jodhpurs
and a jumper,
she out
out of the country on orders
Gardiner, the man who imitates unconvincing appeals an "Drink made me think of anything but from the Government for had my radle operator alerta it will come the treedem route. wallpaper with an expression Scotch's Alca."
patrol, car to pick up Hashki's Letter also which please deliver. and an airship with a gesture. horses.
having abused his position as
he left Mrs Pitt's Letter also which please deliver." Better watch out, Reggie, you've counsellor at the Soviet Embassy trail once to pry secrets out of a Foreign cottage and report his move- END MESSAGE.
got quite a rival in Reddie! ments. Henceforth I was going Office.code_clerk._
to take no chances with him.
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THE other photograph was of 0.01 allen living In North London who, wa were protiy sure, had taken Yuskov'wplace an Russia's contact man with Red sples In Britain.
"Recognise
nny of
N the drive back to London !
started things jumping.
look up the other message. This one storted with the same preamble about secrecy, and then went on:-
You English!
I AM writing this column from At 10.20 am. today, from A Belgium, where I am investi- station believed to be the high-gating the royal crisis, and you power transmitter at Kaunas,
to might like know what is
At the Yard they were waiting for me, and it was trouble. "Downing Street has been on the phone," sald my assistant. hear the P.M. ls snorting like a Bull and screaming for blood."
I told him to get the Minister these on the private wire. "Bad news, ithuania, the following message still regarded as typical asked Mrs Plt sir?"
beamed 10 his country in allen Englishman here. casually, passing half а
"It couldn't be worse," he said, cypher was intercepted: "George dozen snapshots to her.
"A despatch rider has just been cailing
Leonidos. George Cung
I
She glanced at them. "Heavens, through from the research centre Leonidos. Message received.
an SOS from no, they were taken ages before with
Riddell,"
Messa We
recelved. We await I even met Robert."
Riddell was the wing-commander
awa!! material could have sworn she was in charge of Security at the
Levitr will bo deliver telling the truth. I put the atomic station. "You know the ed. She is well Letter will wallet in my pocket, wrote ber a trigger we used on the Monte be delivered. She is well." END receipt for it, and get up to Hello bomb?"
20.
Interpretation
STORY reaches me of an Englishman, who, on his first visit to America, spent a morn- ing browsing through the comte sections of the newspapers,
As you may know, there is a
One of the Brussels news- papers carries a plece about a young Belgian who plays Soccer for Portsmouth and it is sald of hallowed vocabulary for Ameri him; He has acquired a com- con comics-"Pow!" or "Zowie!" pletely English manner - very when somebody gets coshed, and phlegmatle and very courteous, the comic strip dogs, nover KD snow, wow, but always "Art, Asked what he made of his Investigation, the Englishmon is alleged to have replied: "Funny thing, but all your dogs appear to be cockneys."
So charming
on
the
pavement in the main shop ping street of Brussels attracted to one of the most charmingly original window displays I have even lately.
I now had no doubt that Robert My heart missed a boat. "The MESSAGE.
I told my assistant to get the Pkt had been in pretty close new one?"
Minister on the private wire; touch with the Russians, and that Yes, the new one," said the though I did not relish telling ho knew who Leonidos was all Minister. "I don't need to tell him that the missing plan and right.
ROWDS gathered But how to get the in- you how secret that new cart sample were almost certainly in formation out of him-without ridge is, how vital It is to our the hands of Leonidos, and would buying it with his life?
atomic research. Neither the goon be on the way to Russia. Antonia Pitt was watching me anything, like it. That cartridge Who was he? And how was he Russlans nor anyone else bas How had Leonidos done it? speculation fretting et her smooth forehead. Sho was open- completely solves all the problems ing her mouth to say something with a big bomb. It puts this when there was the sound of a country, car stopping outside. The door opened and in walked,a young me was grinning as the came in. Hallo, Tonl daring." he shouted, and then stopped and was grinning no more.
It was
EV
Was 1
going to get the material out?
a
There was a man in the con- demned cell with
almplo answer to all those three ques- 11ons.
All the Minister had to TIVEN though
do was sign a document and Minister, I had to interrupt. send me with it to Fentonville "I know oil about that, sir.
Pitt would talk What's happened? Has it
gonezi and Robert
With one piece of paper, we "Yes, Brown, I think It has, could trap Leonidos and save Piotr Rashki, the Fole You know how we inventoried Britain from mortal danger.
I met in a Soho
dawn yesterday.
Crop alleyway at every
of material brought back from Australia
wa
I glanced at Antonia Pitt, after the Monte Bello explosion? She was no Jonger the cool, Well, Riddell conducted another
Tomorrow: Prison Scene
Scores of brightly hued
?
Mother and sön
'country live PELGIUM is the ory!
DI have ever heard of that has mother and son in Parlia ment at the same time,
Д
Paul Henri Spank, the former Prime Minister and active in the Council of Europe and other international undoubtedly famations,
birds flutter and preen them
to most of selves on the silver-painted boughs of a real tree.
you from pictures in the news- papera (apudgy bustling figure). What does the shop sai? He sits in the Lower Chamber, Furniture, And there is a thicke His mather, Mme Marie
Spaaks
Pollitt's Date on Moscow's Calendar
ARRY POLLITT
Hon general re thas calendar produced by the State spent his latest annuel
of the British Communist
the cause his latest annual report main stream of Cominform ac
tivities. They were in isola- tion, which they sought to de- scribe as splendid becauso it sign[Bed, they claimed, that
Political Publisher in Moscow feelings of helplessness and It will remind the faithful pessimism among the comrades
21 To begin
a member of Bel- gium's Senate she is, in fact, Ita doyenné. In "her seventies, Mme Spack plays a leading part In debates concerning public morals.
Whose pleasure?
Party since 1929, which is throughout Rusala and satellito, in Britali ith, the colender they were recognised as boing N ́a restaurant where I'e dined
of
24 years if you ignore- countries' next November
that on the following day. scems, to have beca prepared able to stand on their own feel there is a link, near, the the more kindly or the more will be Harry Pollitt's 63rd before Pollitt wrote his report. Even the top Communista in doorway in which swim2 tive forgetful do that little
birthday,
that stor extends company that opete de evident thout awaiting the pleasure episode in 1989, when he Obviously this gracious, re- that Moscow extends sympathy their independence, be doubt, customers.intapy was out of favour for more membrance of a birthday which to a comrade, in the doldrums, that they were never no. When I commented on their than a year for mistakenly cherally evokes no particular But further evidence comes never, invited to meet Boviet remarkable a
comment after all, what's "so of Moscow's Inforest in *
a": Bri- diplomalle représentatives in thinking the war against special about 037-means that tain's Communist celebrities. Britain, nor to go to seceptions Itler was a righteous Harry Polliit has not only been The Red Dean, Dr. Howlett at the Soviet Embassy In M11-
forgiven, for any past sins of Johnson, Land R; Palma. crusade.
-
omission or commission but vice-chairmen of the indit, lionaires'. Now ; -
and evident
ij Burely this isolation can
cannot Now Me Folliit gets the uc- that the authorities want their Communist Party, each • get a continus now: Harry, la in the pat colade of recognition from the world to know that Harry is pleture and a column of ap- calendar and the dean ant Kremiin. For the Lirst time in up among the stalwarts of the proval in the latest edition of Palme. Dutt are in the ency- robustnom za companiont r his long and tireless political Communist world.
Ure Great Bovlet Encyclopedia. clopedia career Harry gets
For many years the British
Trevor Evans ash or the ash picks the ding
and what purports
mention It cannot be that Moscow.
to be a thinks he needs a boost, bon comrades have been outside the
marked: Yes, here it is a ques- tion whether the diner picks the