Quarter past four
Dorothy King hurried down the steps of Science Hall and across the campus to the main building , carrying Frances West 's belated letter in her hand . She stopped for a moment in Miss Stuart 's office to tell her that the Students ' Commission wanted to hold a mass-meeting of the whole college at the end of the month , and waited while Miss Stuart , who was an enthusiastic supporter of the commission , obligingly hunted up an available date for the meeting , and promised to hold it open until the final arrangements could be perfected . Outside the office door Dorothy hesitated and looked at her watch . Quarter past four ; laboratory work was over for the afternoon , and there would be ten girls to one copy of Ward 's `` Poets '' in the library . `` I 'll go up there this evening , '' she decided swiftly , `` and now for a skate before dinner , '' and she swung off toward the Hilton House to get her skates and her sweater . As she put out her hand to open the door , she suddenly noticed that she was still carrying Frances ' letter , and gave an impatient little exclamation . `` All out of my way , '' she thought , `` so I might as well take it back now and get rid of it . ''