midnight
The hardy islander whipped up his horses , and soon cautiously climbed the hill of St. Saviours , crawling along carefully over the wind-swept mows toward St. Martin 's Church . The exhausted maid was fast asleep . Nadine Johnstone herself lay in a semi-trance , while the fretful old scholar consulted his watch by the blinking carriage lights , and then wildly urged the driver on . It was long after midnight when they reached St. Martin 's Church , with three miles yet to go . A dreary and a dismal ride ! And all was silent , in the Banker 's Folly where the old hall clock loudly rang out twelve , rousing Mistress Janet Fairbarn from her first beauty sleep . She started in terror as an unfamiliar sound broke upon the haunting stillness of the night .