midnight
And Nancy learned to like Mr. Gordon better than she had ever expected to when she first bearded the lion in his den . After Jennie Bruce 's father , on behalf of Nancy , made his first demand upon Senator Montgomery in reprisal of the latter 's diversion of Nancy 's fortune , Grace Montgomery disappeared suddenly from Pinewood Hall . It had been so sudden that the girls -- especially those who had been so friendly with her -- could scarcely recover from the shock . At first , when Nancy and Jennie had gone off at midnight , it was rumored around the school -LRB- said rumor starting from Cora Rathmore 's room -RRB- that the two chums had been expelled for holding an `` orgy '' after hours . And there was nobody to contradict this statement , eagerly repeated by the Montgomery clique , until Jennie came back . She was bound not to tell Nancy 's secret , however ; otherwise Grace Montgomery would have `` sung small . '' The latter , however , was her bold and mischievous self right up to the very day -- some weeks later -- when she received a long letter from her heart-broken mother .