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NLY three days rem: in that-September, « Dunbar, and the thr: 7in Majorca. Only three more days i: the free world, And on any of them Melinda, by a word, by a gesture, even, could have saved herself and her children. But she said nothing. She told no’one the terrible secret which must have weighed with such erushing torment on her. | In fact, the three days passed so busily that even now Mrs. Dunbar. is not quite certain exactly what did happen. One fact has remained firmly fixed in her memory: Melinda tried persistently to persuade her tago away, She had only returned tq Geneva from her visit to New Ybrk ten weeks before they all whnt to Majorca. And since Mbclean’s disappearance she had. efcept for that absence and an- other’ short — holiday. Melinda's inseparable compai and support. Yet on the Tuesday morning, the day after their.teturn from Majorca, Melinda suggested that it would be a “nice change” if she went over to London. Mrs. Dunbar replied reasonably that she had not the slightest wish to go to London so soon after her return to Geneva, .Then Melinda asked Why she did not go to Paris. “Don't you think it would be a goad idea if gu went to Paris for a little While to buy some new clothes?” sile asked. Mrs. Dunbar pointed out firstis sip did not want any elothes and, setondly, Harriet was away fro n mon ed after Melinda returned 53, with her mother, Mr: children, from the holida; the security and safety Paris. Melinda nevertheless tried several times to ring up Harriet at her Paris number, Eventually Mrs, Dunbar sald she would 4 Ecing to ae some time after Fengus’s birth- day" (September 23). “Oh, that will be too late,” replied Melinda. Too late for what?” asked a mystified Mrs. Dunbar. elinda did not reply. Odd? Bat not then Examining this full story, of Melinda's last days in Swit/pr- Jand it the knowledge of what ‘Was So 5001 to happen, one might feel that her behaviour was sufi. ciently strange to awaken a dus- picion that something was wrong, something out of the ordinary was in the air. Surely her demeanour, her actions, her words were not: normal? The answer is, of gourse, that for this unhappy, bewildered girl whose Lfe Aad been so catastrophically over- turned ang who, for a long period, had been distraught, uncertain, tormented, there was no longer anything deeply unusual in this it must also. b st also be remembered that neither Mrs. Dunbar nor anyone else close to Melinda. ever had the slightest suspicion , that she had been contacted or that she would in any eireum. ances contemy i Deni. plate going to ithout any such suspi . i it she did and said. far 4 Soni a 1 significance; it was merdly a |vmptom of her intense unhap. pifess and uncertainty. f i 4 having Nice fres. Ahair-do Apart from this and one other strange little conversation, the last three days, Tuesday, Wed- nesday and Thursday, September 8, 9 and 10, passed rather busily {nthe 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 sumfi- cjently tired to go early to bed. rs, Dunbar not only did not fee vfrs much of her, but, contrdrs ber usual custom,*had gle easion for the long talks tifey wally had together each nigth. ‘One thing that she did struck Dunbar as curious and yn like Melinda. On the Thursquy ‘se brought back from the @ry Chaners three of her sumrber focks which she had taken injon the Tuesday. In the first place, it was un- like Melinda to be so prompt in her clothes cleaned. Secondly, it was totally unlike her to take her own dresses without asking her mother if she, too, had not something she would like cleaned, especially as they had both come back, from their holiday with their dresses crushed. . On the Thursday, too, Melinda spent the afternoon at the beauty parlour having her hair washed, cut and set. There was nothing in this: it was a normal and natural thing. for a girl to do, especially on her return from *, seaside holiday. But, again, it was much quicker than “one would expect from Melinda. who usually took her : time about everything. especially about 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 of someone preparing for an -tm- portant journey. But at the time they appeared entirely ordinary and attracted no attention. mn the Thursday nightf the la night she spent witty her mdther, who was also her qosest fripnd ‘in the world, Mplinda elfurly came very near to Break- down, very near to revealing what was happening. ~ we Fe, ery for advice | Late that night, as they were going to bed, Melinda stood 3p” the doorway between their tw ‘rooms “looking ghastly “ferill, tired. desperately worried, iddenly, and with no connec. j tion with what they had been talking about, she said: “Oh, how el wish I had someone to advise hee Mrs, Dunbar had no Sdea what she meant. The only subject they had discussed that dav on which it seemed likely that Melinda could want advice was the disposal of the house al Ta!s- field. on which large annual pav~ ments had still to be made. So she replied: * Well, Melinda. I have had certain experience with property in America and although I do not know what happens ir. Ragland 1 think 1 could advise you if you tell me exactly what's worrying you. Melinda gave her, mother one uncomprehending look, shook hergnead—and went into her bed- Toon and shut the door, ‘as she about io tell mquer of the perilous steo wd contemplating? Had sla not quite decided to ofcy the summons which had com€ or which she knew was about to i ec ie