She looked round, but could not see the ruddy locks, nor indeed any of the companions who had taken the examination with her. "Hunting for some one you know?" asked a girl who had appropriated the next hook to hers. "Yes, at least I'm not sure whether she'll be here or not. I believe her name's Marjorie Kaye." "Never heard of her!" "There are heaps of new girls," volunteered another who stood by. "I wondered if she'd won a County Scholarship," added Winona. "Ask me a harder! I tell you I've never heard her name before." "I've won the other scholarship." Winona's voice was intended to sound very casual. "Indeed!" Her neighbor was taking off her boots, and did not seem as much impressed as the occasion merited. "Oh! so you're one of the 'outlanders,'" sniggered another. "It's a sort of 'go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in' business." "I suppose we shall be having Council School Scholarships next!" drawled a third. They were friends, and went off together without another glance at Winona. She followed soberly, wondering what she ought to do next. She had a vague idea that the winner of a scholarship should present herself at the Head Mistress' study to receive a few words of encouragement and congratulation on her success. At the top of the stairs she met the mistress who had presided over the examination. The latter greeted her unceremoniously. "Winona Woodward, you've been placed in V.a., first room to the right, round the corner. You'll find the number on the door." Other girls were hurrying in the same direction. Winona entered with what seemed to her quite a small crowd. Everybody appeared to know where to go, except herself. She stood in such evident hesitation that one, more good-natured than the rest, remarked: "You'd better seize on any desk you fancy, as quick as you can. They're getting taken up fast, if you want a front one!" Winona slid into the nearest seat at hand, and appropriated it by placing her note-book, pencil-box, ruler, atlas and dictionaries inside the desk. The room was filling quickly. Every moment fresh arrivals hurried in and took their places. Marjorie Kaye was nowhere to be seen, but in the second row sat the dark-eyed girl with the red ribbon in her hair. She turned round and nodded pleasantly. "So she's got the other scholarship!" thought Winona. "I shouldn't have expected it. I'd have staked my reputation on the sandy-haired one. Well, I suppose her answers weren't correct, after all. I'm rather glad on the whole it's this girl; she looks jolly."