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Essex stared into his teacup as though seeing a vague picture on the bottom "It's true," he said finally

"Besides his day-today observations of State Department procedure and a few photos in the farandfather's memory"

"Can you recall him from your childhood?"

Essex sole man of forty-two, the same year I was born"

"Nineteen fourteen"

"May twenty-eighth, to be exact"

Heidi shot hi at the White House"

"Think what you will, Commander," Essex said patiently "There was no treaty"

"Surely you can't discount the evidence?"

"Bryan and randfather paid innu on the back of the photograph is undoubtedly an error As to the letter, you've "

"The facts check out," Heidi persisted "The Sir Edward that Wilson writes of was Sir Edward Grey, Britain's foreign secretary And a loan to Britain one week prior to the date on the letter for one hundred and fifty million dollars is a matter of record"

"Granted that was a,large sueably "But prior to World War One, Great Britain was grappling with a progra ar conflict Simply put, she needed a few bucks to tide her over until laws for higher taxation could be passed The loan can hardly be called irregular By today's international standards it would be considered a rather routine negotiation

Heidi stood up "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Mr Essex I won't take up any more of your afternoon"

The twinkle returned in his

eyes "You can trouble me anytime"