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During the following three weeks Ann had no time to think of anything except her hat shop. The new goods had arrived from London, and she and her two assistants were kept hard at work from early moming till late at night.

Ford’s prediction that all the gossip about her would turn out to be a good advertisement was proving correct. But Ann knew that if it had not been for his wife’s championship of her, the business would have stood very little chance of survival. As it was, the people who were convinced of her innocence showed their sympathy by patronizing her shop. The less charitable ones—those who were inclined to believe there could be no smoke without fire—were also amongst her customers. They were curious to see her; and thus Ann reaped a harvest from both the “fors” and “againsts”—who were at any rate agreed upon one point—that the hats and frocks at “Ann’s” were quite the smartest in town.

She had made a profit-sharing agreement with Mrs. Hill, and the new girl, Ruth Atkins, and consequently they worked long hours quite willingly.

Ann had now to think of finding some other abode for herself. The room behind the shop must be used