Evening star., 1937-04-25
April rs, 1897

very vast and formidable in the darkness, and
| was surprised when he told me that the
Tower OF London occupies nearly eighteen
acres. At the Deputy Governors door he
wished me good night and saluted, and | was
taken up to comfortable little room with a
fire in the CRATE. 1t had low ceiling and dark
paneled walls, and Major Morton greeted me
cheeriully. Behind him. a tall man stood with
one arm resting on the carved chimneypece.
Mr.. Cardinal - my cousin, Colin Elliott"
said Morton briefly. took the outstretched
hand and looked into pair of steadfast gray
eyes. Henry Cardinal was distinguished
figure. with his white pointed beard fine
aquiline features, and perfectly cut dinner
clothes. He must have been man of about
sixty, but he was as straight as lance.
Collins got an amusing yarn to tell us
tonight, CARDINAL said my cousin. handing
me a glass of sherry But it will keep till
after dinner. It's too good to waste with the
abfritifs. Well have it to accompany the port
i I've brought some of my 96 with me"
MY dear Morton, your '96 port will make
any yarn delightful" said Henry Cardinal
with smile.
Presently we went in to dinner. | suppose
: was little nervous and said little during
the meal. Cardinal was an engaging talker,
and spoke familiarly about well-known people.
He had pleasant wit. which was sometimes
a trifle sardonic, and his gray eyes twinkled
with humor. If had never met Anne Marie
and heard her story, would have said that
this was one of the most enjoyable dinners |
had ever known. My cousin had brought his
own manservant to attend to him; after
Knowles had left us alone with the dessert and
port Morton looked over to me with nod.
Come along, Colin - we'll have that yarn
now. warn you, Cardinal, your name comes
into it." He chuckled. Il didn't know until
this morning that you were one of the most
dangerous crooks in Europe"
"C'esi dr6le, ca' Cardinal smiled. ITO hear
the truth is good for ones SOUL"
The mans aplomb was perfect, and de-
cided to treat the whole affair as an elaborate
joke which had misfred. | described how a
young woman had gone to Major Morton's
house in Hampstead the night before how
had come across her afterwards on the street,
when she pretended to be in state of collapse,
and had taken her to my apartment. "She
then told me about conspiracy to steal the
Crown Jewels from the Tower of London" |
continued. "Of course didn't believe her at
the start but she pulled my leg to some tune.
She said it was being planned by man called
Henry Cardinal of the Avenue Foch in Paris
Morton chuckled. And he believed it.
That's the cream of the jestn'
Was she very good-looking?" inquired
Mr. Cardinal with gleam of amusement in
his eye.
She was laundering pretty GIRL" l
confessed.
Then of course she was telling the TRUTH
he asserted. How can one disbelieve beau
tiful girl? Pray proceed, Mr.. Elliott"
'She said she was scared to 60 to the Tower
herself, so l motored down and told Major
Morton her story. He saw through the hoax
at once, and when I got back to my apart
ment -
"Yes, | haven't heard what happened,
Colinv exclaimed my cousin.
you were right - she'd gone!'
Morton put back his head and laughed. 'I
knew it! Evidently that young woman
thought she'd carried the joke just far
enough"
Have you nothing more to tell, MIR.
Elliott?" asked Cardinal.
Nothing" said decisively, looking him
straight in the face, but | couldn't detect the
flicker of an eyelid. The man sat lingering his