ten minutes to five
At half-past four Berta was in the midst of a fiery argument about the program for the Junior Party to the seniors . The dispute concerned some fine point of æsthetic taste in the choice of paper and position of monogram . The stroke of the half hour reminded her of the engagement with Bea , but she lightly pushed aside the thought as of no consequence in comparison with the present emergency . It was ten minutes to five when she seized an umbrella and scurried across the campus to the gymnasium . There in the dusk of fading light from the clouded sky outside she beheld the swimming-tank deserted , its surface still glinting in soft ripples as if from recent plunging . At sound of a rustle in one of the dressing-rooms , Berta called Bea 's name . It was Robbie 's voice that answered her .