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Ann did not sleep very well that night, and she was already dressed when her telephone bell rang at about seven o’clock next morning. Again it was:

“Holmes speaking.”

“Yes,” said Ann.

“Just rang up to let you know that Vera and I are making an early start for Tirau.”

Ann’s heart seemed to leap up into her throat. In the intensity of her relief she could scarcely speak.

“I wonder if you’d tell Ford I’ve written to him? Go round and see him this moming if you’ve got time, will you?”

Ann knew what this meant. Ford would tell her what she was to do.

“Of course I will. How’s Mrs. Holmes?”

“She’s had a pretty rough spin I should say—she still looks very ill—but we’ll be able to look after her when we get her back to Tirau. I gave her your message.”

“What did she say?’

“She asked me to thank you, and to tell you she’d decided that she’d like the hat. Don’t quite know what she meant, but she seemed to think you’d understand.”