"My 'ward officer' refused to give me a permit without a medical certificate that I required a change of air.
"I told him shortly that I was going for pleasure and that I would appeal to General Maxwell if he could not assist me. He said 'that made all the difference!' (what did he mean?) and asked me for the name and address of the people with whom I would be staying in Johannesburg, so I gave him Pauline's box number.
"No, that was not sufficient, he must have the name of the street and the number of the house.
"'I do not remember the number, but I shall go home to look it up and come back at once.'
"'It will—er—be more convenient if you bring it to-morrow,' he said."
And Hansie understood that he was gaining time.
After all the fuss that had been made, she was not surprised next day when the Commissioner of Police asked her, very politely, while closely inspecting the "note of recommendation," to call for her permits on Monday (this was Thursday), as there would be some delay in having them "approved" by the other officials.
This was again done to gain time while the authorities were putting their heads together, trying to find out "what the dickens" she could want in Johannesburg.
Hansie knew this well enough, although she filled her diary with lamentations and wonderings.
"Will you be all right alone, mother, at a time like this?" Hansie asked, as, with her permits at last in her possession, she hugged her mother in affectionate farewell.