about three o'clock in the afternoon
`` The object to be gained was worthy of the means used to gain it , '' she thought , as she sealed the letter ; then , placing the draft for the $ 1,500 safely in her purse , she crept softly to bed , sleeping ere long as soundly as if the weight of a guilty conscience had never rested upon her . The next morning , at the appointed time , Mr. Hastings , Mrs. Deane and her daughter stood together in the Dunwood Depot , awaiting the arrival of the train . Eugenia was in high spirits , chatting gaily with Mr. Hastings , whose manner was so unusually lover-like , that more than one looker-on smiled meaningly , as they saw how very attentive he was . On reaching the city he parted from the ladies for a time , telling Eugenia , as he bade her good morning , that he should probably not see her again until about three o'clock in the afternoon , when he would meet her at the music-rooms . `` Meet you at the music-rooms for what ? '' asked Mrs. Deane , who , though she had frequently heard her daughter talking of a new piano , had never for a moment believed her to be in earnest . `` What do you suppose he would meet me for , unless it were to look at pianos ? ''