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Ann had not expected to go to the Omoana races; for although Mrs. Ralston had invited Biddy and Jo to spend race day with Connie and Alice, and Ann was consequently off duty, she did not imagine that the governess would form one of the party setting out from Tirau to the racecourse. She was not quite sure whether she had to thank Vera, or Dick Holmes, for the day’s outing. Waring had stayed at Tirau the preceding night, but he certainly would not have bestirred himself openly on her account. Whatever interest he took in her was carefully concealed. Ann was a little in the dark as to the reason for this; but she shrewdly suspected that Mrs. Holmes, who expected the undivided allegiance of any man she favored with her friendship, would have resented attention being shown to the governess, and that Waring was clever enough to avoid any chance of arousing Vera’s displeasure. But Ann did not trouble herself to ask whom she had to thank for the invitation. She took what the gods were pleased to send her, and was thankful. She had never been to a race meeting in her life, and now, dressed in her prettiest summer frock, as she drove off from the homestead with Dick Holmes, she was as happy and excited, as any healthy,