twelve
o'clock
The marriage was to be early in the evening . Everything was ready , even to the trunks , filled with traveling and other dresses . The night was to be passed at the Imperial Hotel in the city , and the journey proper to be begun some time on the following day . On the most momentous morning of her life , Daisy Fern announced that she had an errand to do in the city and would return shortly after twelve o'clock . As she was so thoroughly her own mistress nobody thought of questioning her more particularly . But twelve o'clock came , and one o'clock , and three , and five , and she neither was seen at Midlands nor was any message received from her . By the latter hour Mr. Fern was in a state of excitement .