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spinach souffle. Then licking his lips, he added, "But we'll get our money back this next two months, and then some. Santa Claus is always good to us."
    The department store account was an important one; nevertheless Edwina drove a tough bargain, with terms favorable to the bank. After some grumbling by the customer, these were agreed by the time they reached Peach Melba for dessert. The three million dollars exceeded Edwina's personal authority, though she anticipated no trouble getting approval from Headquarters. If necessary, for speed's sake, she would talk with Alex Vandervoort who had backed up her judgments in the past.
    It was while they wer e having coffee that a waitress brought a message to their table.
    "Mrs. D'Orsey," t he girl said, "a Mr. Tottenhoe on the phone for you. He says it's urgent."
    Edwina excused herself and went to a telephone in an annex.
    The voice of her branch operations officer complained, "I've been trying to locate you." "Now you have' What is it?"
    "We have a serious cash shortage." He went on to explain: A teller had reported the loss a half hour ago. Checking had been going on continuously since. Edwina sensed panic as well as gloom in Tottenhoe's voice and asked how much money was involved. She heard him swallow. "Six thousand dollars." "I'll be down right away."
    Within less than a minute, after apologizing to her guest, she was in the express elevator en route to the main floor.
    5
    "As far as I can see," Tottenhoe said morosely, "the only thing all of us know for certain is that six thousand dollars in cash is not where it should be."
    The operations officer was one of four people seated around Edwina D'Orsey's desk. The others were Edwina; young Miles Eastin, Tottenhoe's assistant; and a teller named Juanita Nutiez.
    It was from Juanita Ntinez's cash drawer that the money was missing.
    A half hour had elapsed since Edwina's return to the main branch. Now, as the other -faced her across the desk, Edw ina answered Tottenhoe. "What you say is true, but we can do better. I want us to go over everything again, slowly and carefully."
    The time was shortly after 3 P.M. Customers had gone. The outer doors were closed.
    Activity, as usual, was continuing in the branch, though Edwina was conscious of covert glances toward the platform from other employees who knew by now that something serious was wrong.
    She reminded herself that it was essential to remain calm, analytical, to consider every fragment of information. She wanted to listen carefully to nuances of speech and attitude, particularly those of Mrs. Nunez.
    Edwina was aware, too, that very soon she must notify head office of the apparent heavy cash loss, after which Headquarters Security would become involved, and probably the FBI. But while there was still a chance of finding a solution quietly, without bringing up the heavy artillery, she intended to try.
    "If you like, Mrs. D'Orsey," Miles Eastin said, "I'll start because I was the first one Juanita reported to." He had shed his usual breeziness. Edwina nodded approval.
    The possibility of a cash shortage, Eastin informed the group, first came to his attention a few minutes before 2 P.M. At that time Juanita Nunez approached him and stated her belief that six thousand dollars was missing from her cash drawer.
    Miles Eastin was working a teller's position himself, filling in as he had through most of the day because of the shortage of tellers. In fact, Eastin was only tw o stations away from Juanita Nun ez, and she reported to him there, locking her cash box before she did so.
    Eastin had then locked his own cash box and gone to Tottenhoe. Gloomier than usual, Tottenhoe took up the story.
    He had gone to Mrs. Nu nez at once and talked with her. At first he hadn't believed that as much as six thousand dollars could be missing because even if she suspected some money had gone, it was virtually impossible at that point to know how much.
    The operations officer pointed out: Juanita Nunez