'I doet think that would be wise, Mrs. Osborne. To make a final judgment on only one week's observation would be, to say the least, premature!

'All right, if you believe it will prove the point, but I still feel confident that you won't uncover anything new next week.'

'In any case,' continued Glen Ricardo, puffing away at his cigar, which looked bigger and smelled better to Anne than it had the previous week, 'you have - already paid for the two weeks!

'What about the lettersT asked Anne, suddenly remembering them. 'I suppose they must have come from someone jealous of my husband's achievements!

'Well, as I pointed out to you last week, Mrs. Osborne, tracing the sender of anonymous letters is never easy. However, we have been able to locate the shop where the stationary was bought, as the brand was fairly unusual, but for the moment I have nothing further to report on that front. Again, I may have a lead by this time next week. Have you received any more letters in the past few days?'

'No, I haven't.'

'Good, then it all seems to be working out for the best. Let us hope, for your sake, that next week's meeting will be our last.'

Tes,' said Anne happily, 'let us hope so. Can I settle your expenses next Thursday?'

'Of course, of course!

Anne had nearly forgotten the phrase, but this time it made her laugh.

She decided as she was driven home that Henry must have the five hundred thousand loan and the chance to prove William and Alan wrong. She had still not recovered from the knowledge that William had come to Boston without letting her know; perhaps Henry had been right in his suggestion that William was trying to work behind their back& Henry was delighted when Anne told him that night of her decision on the loan, and he produced the legal documents the following morning for her signature. Anne couldnt help thinking that he must have had the papers prepared for some time, especially as Milly Preston's signature was already on them, or was she being overly suspicious again? She dismissed the thought and signed quickly.

She was fully prepared for Alan Lloyd when he telephoned the following Monday morning.

'Anne, let me at least hold things over until ThursdayThen we'll know who has been awarded the hospital contract!

'No, Alan, the decision can't wait. Henry needs the money now. He has to prove to City Hall that he's financially strong enough to fulfil the contract and you already have the signatures of two trustees so the responsibility is no longer yours!

'The bank could always guarantee Henry's position without actually passing over the money. I'm sure City Hall would find that acceptable.

In any case, I haven't had enough time to check over his company's accounts!

'But you did find enough time to have lunch with William a week ago Sunday, without informing me!

There was a momentary silence from the other end of the line.

'Anne, I. .

'Dor~t say you didn't have the opportunity. You came to our party on Wednesday, and you could easily have mentioned it to me then. You chose not to, but you did find the time to advise me to postpone judgment on the loan to Henry!

'Anne, I am sorry. I can understand how that might look and why you are upset, but there really was a reason, believe me. May I come around and explain everything to you?'

'No, Alan, you can't. You're all ganging up against my husband. None of you wants to give him a chance to prove himself. Well, I am going to give him that chance!

Anne put the telephone down, pleased with herself, feeling she had been loyal to Henry in a way that fully atoned for her ever having doubted him in the first place.

Alan Lloyd rang back, but Anne instructed the maid to say she was out for the rest of the day. When Henry returned home that night, he was delighted to heax how Anne had dealt with Alan.

'It will all turn out for the best, my love, you'll see. On Thursday morning I will be awarded the contract, and you can kiss and make up with Alan; still, you had better keep out of his way until then. In fact, if you like we can have a celebration lunch on Thursday at the Ritz and wave at him from the other side of the room.'

Anne sn - ~Ied and agreed. She could not help remembering that she was meant to be seeing Ricardo for the last time at twelve o'clock that day.

Still, that would be early enough for her to be at the Ritz by one and she could celebrate both triumphs at once.

Alan tried repeatedly to reach Anne, but the maid always had a ready excuse. Since the document had been signed by two trustees, he could not hold up the payment for more than twenty - four hours. The wording was typical of a legal agreement drawn up by Richard Kane; there were no loop - holes to crawl out of. When the cheque for five hundred thousand dollars left the bank by special messenger on Tuesday afternoon, Alan sat down and wrote a long letter to William setting out the events that had culminated in the transfer of the money, withholding only the unconfirmed findings of his departmental reports. He sent a copy of the letter to each director of the bank, conscious that although he had behaved with the utmost propriety, he had laid himself open to accusations of concealment.