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day early in February. Oh, for goodness’ sake have some pretty hats for us, for the races.”

“I’ll do my best,” said Ann.

“Don’t forget to send me a card before your opening day. We go home tomorrow—Bill and I—Nell’s staying on for a week with the Harveys; but we’ll be down again at the end of the month. All the coast people come in to Wairiri for the races.”

“Well, tell them not to buy their hats before they’ve seen mine,” said Ann.

“Of course I will—but you must let me have first choice, you know. I want something to go with a sort of pinky beige dress. I wouldn’t mind a black—not too big; but at the same time one can’t wear anything very small here in the summer. It’s too hot.”

Mrs. Ralston began an animated discussion of hats, until she saw her husband signaling to her from across the room, and departed.

Well, that sounded hopeful, thought Ann; and finishing her dinner as quickly as possible, she went back to her room, and to the study of Vogue, and one or two other fashion papers which she had bought that afternoon.

Within two days Ann had secured her shop. The rental she was obliged to pay was two hundred and fifty pounds a year. But there was a small room at the back in which she could live, and the position was good—a busy little thoroughfare running at right angles to the main street. Two doors from the building in which her rooms were situated, was one of the largest garages in the town. Most of the country people—her prospective customers—used the garage for