midnight
As there was now no reason why she should not do so , Mary accompanied Jenny home , where , as she had expected , she met with a cool reception from Rose , who merely nodded to her , and then resumed the book she was reading . After tea , Mary stepped for a moment into the yard , and then Rose asked Jenny what she intended doing with her `` genteel visitor . '' `` Put her in the best chamber , and sleep there myself , '' said Jenny , adding that `` they were going to lie awake all night just to see how it seemed . '' But in spite of this resolution , as midnight advanced Jenny found that Mary 's answers , even when Billy Bender was the topic , became more and more unsatisfactory , and finally ceased altogether . Concluding to let her sleep a few minutes , and then wake her up , Jenny turned on her pillow and when her eyes again opened , the morning sun was shining through the half-closed shutters , and the breakfast bell was jingling in the lower hall . When Mary returned to the poor-house , she found a new arrival in the person of Mrs. Perkins ! The widow had hailed Mike as he passed her house the day before , and on learning how matters stood , offered to accompany him home .