midnight
Hugh had his own judgment , neighbourhood gossip , and Doctor Morgan 's plain instructions on that point , but was resolved to go if he lost all that he had in so doing . `` Well , at any rate , he ca n't mortgage anything without consulting me , and I 'll get as much of the stock out there as I can after next year -- that is , if there is any next year for me , '' he said , as he got up to go to bed long after midnight . The morning of John 's return Elizabeth asked Hugh to take her as far as Nathan 's on his way in to town . Hugh had not sat on the step till midnight the night before to let himself fall into temptation the first thing in the morning , and suggested that since the shafts of the buggy were mended that she drive over to Nathan 's alone , giving as his reason that he might be unable to come back promptly . The girl fell into his plan so readily that Hugh in his contradictory frame of mind wondered about it and was half hurt . As he hitched Patsie into the shafts , however , he reasoned it out that Elizabeth Hunter was probably making the same fight that he was making . He tied the mare in the side lane and left her there without going to the house as usual to help with Jack .