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me q NLY three days remained after Melinda returned 53, with her mother, Mr children, from the holiday | I in that~September, ' Dunbar, and the thr ‘in Majorca. . Only three more days i the security and safety the free world, Andon any of them Melinda, by a word, by a gesture, even, could have saved herself and her children. Ye 1 at 7 Nice fresh Ahair-do SApart from this and one other “strange Httle conversation, the last three days, Tuesday, Wed- nésday and Thursday, September 8, 9 and 10, passed rather busily in the normal preoccupations of a family which had just. returned from a long summer holiday. Melinda seemed to be in. and out of the flat the whole time, and by the evening was suffi- ciently fired to. go early to bed. But she sald nothing. She told noone the terrible secret which must have weighed with such eTushing torment. on. her. In fact. the three days passed so busily that. even now Fa. Dunbar. is not auite certain Paris. Melinda nevertheless tried several times to ring up Harriet at her Paris number, Eventually Mrs. Dunbar sald she would be going to Paris “some time after Fengus’s birth- day” (September 23). exactly what did happen. One fact has remained firmly fixed in her memory: Melinda tried persistently to persuade her ty.go away, She had only returned Geneva from her visit to New replied Melinda. mystified Mrs. Dunbar. Melinda did not reply. . Odd? But ' s pI “Qh, that will be too late,” i Too late for what?” asked a |: rs. Dunbar not only did not gee vere much of her, but, contrary th her usual custom,*had ligle easion for the long talks they wally had. together each nigtt. One thing that she did struck ery for advice | _ Late that night. aa they were ’ going ta bed, Melinda staod ip” the doorway between their two ‘ pooms “loaking ghastly -e-ill, ! tired. desperately worried, Suddenly, and with no contiec- ton with what they had been talking about, ghe said: “Oh. how I wish I had someone to advise s. Dunbar as curious and yn- like Melinda. On the. Thursqay i kHe brought. back from the qry ckaners three of her summper fdocks which she had taken ingen the Tuesday. In the first. place, it was un- : like Melinda to be so prompt in i} Ma imees “aohor before at, a -having her clothes cleaned. mire Dunbar had no idea what bad nt to NPAJOTER. A h aad Secondly, it was totally unlike che meant. The only subject Miclean’s disappearance she had. mot then her to fake her own dresses they had discussed that day on efcept for that abernce and, an without asking. her mother it they nad ciscenea likely that ‘ ¥ * = am Melinda's inseparable companion Examining this full story, of she, toe, had not soe madly as Melinda covld want advice was and support. Melinda's last days in Switder- Would, like cleanes, fst : the disposal of the house at Tals- land it the knowledge of at Was so s00n to happen, one might feel that her behaviour was § ciently strange to awaken a Yet on the Tuesday morning, the day afier thelr.teturn from Majorea, Melinda suggested that is- they had both come back, from their holiday with their dresses crushed. . On the Thursday, too, Melinda field, on whiclt large annual pay- ments had still to be made. So she replied: * Well, Melinda. 1 have had certain experience it would be a “nice change” if ji¢; Ki spent the afternoon at the beauty with property in America and she went over to London. Mrs. picethine, pomme Ung was wronk. _ parlour having her hair washed, wehough T do not know what Dunbar replied reasonably ihat was in the air . ¥ cut and set. There was nothing happens ir. England 1 think I she had not the slightest wish to Surely her demeanour, her in this: it was a normal and could advise you if you tell me go to London so seon after her actions, her words were not: natural thing- for a girl to do, exactly what's worrying you. return to Geneva, normal? The anewer is, of. especially on her return from @ - - Melinda gave her mother, one Then Melinda asked ‘why she course, that for this unhappy, seaside holiday. ‘yuncomprehending look, —shovk did not go to Paris. “ Den’t you tnink it would be a goad idea if yguwent to Paris for a little while to buy some new clothes 7?" Bie asked. irs. Dunbar pointed out firstls shp did not want any cinthes and sehondly, Harriet was away fre bewildered girl whose Lfe had been so catastrophically over- turned and who, for a long period, had been distraught, uncertain, . tormented, there was no longer anything deeply unusual in this behaviour. It must also be remembered that neither Mrs. Dunbar nor anyone else close to Metinda.. ever had the slightest suspicion that she had been tentacted or that she would in any circum- stances contemplate goin Donald, P going te Without. any such suspicion fll ° tat she did and said had fo ray] significance; it was merd@ly a 4vmptom of her intense unhap- Piness and uncertainty, ‘ oars mage eter ee’ tet Lie rc eee ag RP gh eal BERNE Be Haglan Ratt sect Fae BS . aka ae a al But, again, it-was much quicker than. one would expect from Melinda whe usually took her {ime about everything. especially _pbout anything connected with her appearance or her clothes. Added together, in the reveal- ing light of later events, Melinda’s actions on her return to Geneva were consistent with those af someone preparing for ‘an “im- - portant journey. But at the time - they appeared entirely ordinary and. attracted no attention. n the Thursday nightf the la night she spent witht ber mather, who was also her qosest frifnd in the world, Mflinda . eldarly came very near to Break- irg down, very near to revealing what was happening. hershead—and went into her bed- ro and shut the door. as she about to tell: maber of the perilous sien gc ‘was contemplating ? Had fie si@l not quite decided to ofev -the summons whith had come or which she knew was about to a ae