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to the right angle. She has the sweetest things. Not frightfully cheap, but not really expensive.”

And so the friend advised usually “went to Ann.” In fact, before the race meeting Ann’s stock was practically sold out. All the shops in the town closed early for the first day’s racing; and behind her locked door Ann and Mrs. Hill sat manufacturing a further supply of hats, from an early hour in the morning until after ten at night. That week-end Ann sent a letter-cable to her stepmother, asking her to despatch a few models from “Flora,” and a quantity of material of all kinds, immediately. Her stepmother adored picking up bargains at the sales—they’d still be on in London—and she knew ail about “Flora,” the establishment where Ann had studied millinery. Ann sent money by cable, and knew that even with the cost of the despatch, she would be saving a considerable sum in this way, as well as procuring something quite different to anything she could purchase in Wairiri. It would be six or seven weeks before the things arrived, but they would be winter goods, and in time for the winter season here.

For the Turf Club Meeting in February there was not such a rush of customers; and this Ann felt was rather fortunate, for to tell the truth both she and Mrs. Hill had been working at great pressure ever since the preparations for the shop had been begun.

They had taken over one hundred and twelve pounds in cash—Ann had no book debts—for their first month’s trading. With rent, wages, and materials she had spent barely seventy. Her personal living expenses were trifling, so that in four weeks she had almost paid for the initial outlay of fitting up her room and starting her business.