The whole ceremony had barely occupied an hour, and it was not yet four o'clock.

The girls, in orderly files, marched from the lecture-hall, and betook themselves first to their new form-rooms, where textbooks were given out with preparation for the next day, and desks allotted; then, when the great bell rang for dismissal, to the playground and cloak-rooms, en route for home.
Ingred, with a goodly pile of fresh literature under her arm, walked slowly downstairs.

She was not in any hurry to leave the class-room, and lingered as long as the limits of Miss Strong's patience lasted.

She knew there was a certain ordeal to be faced with her form-mates, and she was not sure whether she wanted to put it off, or to get it over at once.
"Better let them know and have done with it," she said to herself after a few moments' consideration on the landing.

"After all, it's my business, not theirs!" It was a rather airily-defiant Ingred who strolled into the cloak-room and put on her hat.