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movement of protest.
    â€œWe don’t want Florrie drawn in. She’s not fit,” he said.
    â€œYou won’t be able to keep her out, Garstnet,” said Mr Carew. “The police will want to see her. There’s no reason why she should be frightened. Good gracious me, I christened her! I suppose she can answer a question or two?”
    â€œShe’s so easy upset,” said Mrs Garstnet with a sob. “I’m sure I don’t know—”
    â€œWill you fetch her, please,” said Oliver.
    Mrs Garstnet looked at her husband. And then, before she could speak, the door was opened and a child looked round it. She had a little peaked face and a cloud of copper hair—wonderful hair, with all the glow and colour which were lacking in the small white face. James Carew said, “Come in, Florrie,” and she slipped into the room and stood just inside the door looking from one to the other out of greenish hazel eyes.
    â€œCome here, my dear,” said James Carew.
    She came and stood at his knee, not shy, just waiting to know what was wanted of her.
    â€œSo Miss Rose Anne gave you a green hat, Florrie?”
    James Carew was at his best with children. He spoke kindly and simply.
    â€œYes, sir, she did.”
    â€œAnd then she borrowed it again yesterday?”
    Florrie looked at her mother.
    â€œShe’d just quieted down and wasn’t taking much notice,” said Mrs Garstnet. “And I’m sure she’d not grudge anything, not to Miss Rose Anne—would you, Florrie?”
    Florrie had no answer.
    â€œAnd you’d be pleased for Miss Rose Anne to have your hat—”
    â€œI’d rather have it myself,” said Florrie.
    â€œNow, Florrie—I’m sure you’d not grudge anything to Miss Rose Anne that’s always been so good to you!”
    â€œI’d like my green hat back,” said Florrie in a little obstinate voice.
    They made no more of her. She was neither shy nor distressed. She wanted her green hat. Rose Anne had given it to her, and she wanted it. From Florrie’s view point it was the green hat that had disappeared, not Rose Anne. Children want one thing at a time, and want that one thing passionately. Florrie wanted her green hat. She was to have worn it for the wedding. Since it was not there to be worn, the wedding ceased to be of any interest. She looked Oliver straight in the face and said,
    â€œI want my hat. Why did she take it away?”

CHAPTER V
    Rose Anne had gone bare-headed to the Angel at half past six. She had come away twenty minutes later having borrowed the green hat to run across the street. She had told Mrs Garstnet that it was raining and she didn’t want to get her hair wet just before the family dinner-party—quite a plausible reason if it had really been raining. But it had not rained, neither between half past six and seven o’clock that evening, nor at any time in the whole twenty-four hours.
    Hesitatingly, deprecatingly, James Carew put these points forward as he and Oliver walked away from the Angel. They went past the Vicarage gate and on round the green. It was easier to keep moving, easier to be out of the house, where the women sniffed and whispered, and the telephone bell kept ringing. Guests had to be put off and arrangements cancelled, enquiries answered, the press staved off. It was women’s business, so let them get on with it.
    â€œI’m afraid,” said James Carew—“I’m afraid she meant to go. She wouldn’t have borrowed that hat if she hadn’t meant to go. There—there wasn’t any rain, Oliver.”
    â€œNo,” said Oliver. He had been driving back from Malling with Russell, and there hadn’t been any rain. They had actually reached the Angel at a quarter to seven. Five minutes later and they would have met Rose Anne on her way. He said this in a hard, forced voice.
    â€œWell? What did you do when you got