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igegtence a contre Melinda — torbke in. “Ob Mummy? wT . jteypibly sorry, In the rush reed away 4d forgot all about i. e or ome, “the long-suffers Mrb. Dunbar was. angry. jrbildren, after their iy journey, were tired and‘a hitie veitais they had piles of luggage . with them, for in addfiien te’ the’ ‘baga they took, there were the: big netive-made straw hold-ails - they had bought, as swell oes all: . kinds of Weasures the ecbildren.> whad collerted. .. : “Welk” she said, "you'd | _betier go and ‘phaoequickiy.” { They sat eround im the airpart. | - tor half an hour befere the ear ‘prrived, and then when they - reached the flat there was, af foursé, no wilt. bread, -butter, nothing in. fact jor the eblidred's pper. tht contrite, Melinda said she ~weuld go and Buy then, The ‘eibldren were sini unloading the ‘and leaving bage and it eases atrewn about the liviig~ . rho, ny iy » Letter in her hand Belinda ent off ta the shores. Bue could have bought every- thing they needed, net aniy tor ; that night but for pti ihe meer | + oad } week in about fen mites. for the shape were-just ground the SOIT. } Bat she was away 50 minutes, ~ When she returned ashe had not: only the packages of groceries, but alse a nuniber of betters which she could have callected, - einer going out or coming Hack, from the letter box in the ‘hall | by the concierge’s room. ; ' She dropped. the groceries on! te the table and aff the deters 4 hut one on the desk att shood there, with the one remaining- - letier In her hand, staring at her nother with an ‘extraordinary xpression on her face, ~ | Astonishment. apiprehensiign. ; ary, exchament scerncd e fPilow each other so ranidly het ikey merged inte what almost.g. grimace . | 2 *This is ' She locked quite awful,” sid rs. Dunbar, But, wise. after. tie event, ber mother alse now believes that. the dominant expression waa one af exciie~ ment. “Thinking Ho aver, agi have Mone Rusdreds of times, T now feel thal Melinda's whole attitude at that mament expressed ore thing "Thien je (i thie is “sere hour” At the time all that happened was that Mra. Dunbar im- Trpdistely asked What was the miter, Ha@ she received bad itiars 2 , Wo,” said Melinda, pulling hareelf fogeiher, "Tie nothing. tk oly @ letter from the sejesl telling me that opening bas teen postponed a. week and ie bays Fans ncaa ese, “cone nema SE went to return tnd) temorrgy This Sertainiy ld net sede gic 'to Mrs. Dunbar, who tn “| Pemarked that 3 was rather aed news. Tt would give thin time fo get the bays ready oat}. leisure and te alow ther to gettie dows @ Hithe after. the : ANd. with the Hiter af un packed Bags all areund them, and the need ip get the children their i ‘evening theal, the episode passed out of her mind, snd she did not give Hi a -second thought until seversl weeks ~ hater. But Melinda's behaviour. hogked at in retrospect, now became curious. What had hanpensd ? : Still no elue kis possible that Melinda had received. some Kind of a-mevgsage | either in one of the other letters, er fram sonie coniact she. had seen while shé was oul? Rad it been atone of she shons she visiled, ond.of the ordinary shops at which she was accus- lomed te buy the household! goods * “ "1 Or bad she, ducing. those fifty mifutes, called in at sane Incen- apleumus Lie plate-2 tobae- conist’s, = statloners, a bar. a ary cleanerg——whith had been epened in Geneva. for the expres’ purpote af seting as an accomvyicdation address Jor a Soviet imteligence organisation: and. through which Melinda‘ received Ker instructions ? | it coud be anything: but we do Hoel Know, Melinda's ma nents were, Of edurag 8 alched. and, despite the exte ve inquiries made by 4% nd the Swises Polise, and ath weeanivations, nothing haa, bea covered throwing “aay Ught et oe oo ;eacilements of their holiday, ‘Tortured . - soul MBut one thing ts certain: of” thal evening Melinda had some- how been tald that the date of, her departure way Ver¥ Wear, Tt is unlikely that the exact data was then Donsid and Guy dase knew for dertain. when they drove away from Beaconshaw! that evening 27 months earller that they were Inaving never to: return. But abe had probably been warhed “to “be ready. - And certainiy. she had been instructed nol to say anyihing to. anyyne. igthing that could pozsibly hint of what she was abou 3. Fram that moment Melipda sag a teriured soul. {Workt copyright} t nen sree ven her any mire uy