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tal in the first six months, she could still take a position as nursery governess, or lady-help. No woman willing to do household work would ever be stranded in this country. “Lady-help” was merely a euphemism for general servant; and domestic servants were almost impossible to obtain for situations in the back blocks. The few that were available remained in Wairiri itself, where life was gayer.

So, at about four-thirty, Ann left the hotel, and made her way to the nearest estate agent. Here she discovered, not without a slight feeling of dismay, that she was unlikely to secure two rooms in a good position at any rental less than four pounds a week. She took the address of one or two places, and looked at them. But they were not suitable, Then she visited the biggest draper in the main street. Again she received something of a shock. Ribbons, silks, brocades, flowers and feathers, were nearly three times the price she had been accustomed to pay in London. She went on to a smaller shop and here, where a summer sale was in progress, secured at a less prohibitive cost a few oddments and remnants which might be useful to her. She also purchased some buckram shapes which she thought she could remodel, and had them sent to the hotel. By this time it was neatly six, and all the business premises were closing. Ann returned to her little room on the first floor of the Imperial, and again got out note-book and pencil. Two hundred a year for rent, and fifty pounds at least for shop fittings and furnishing. That left her less than one hundred for her stock and her living expenses for the year. It didn’t seem an altogether promising outlook; but Ann refused to be discouraged, and she set to work at once on one of