midnight
Well , he would get into camp before it became very hot ; that idiot Toffy would probably be sitting up for him . He laughed softly to himself as he saw a flicker of light in the window that looked towards the track , when at last he drew near the little estancia house . It was like Toffy to remember to put a lamp where he could see it ! It was worth while taking a midnight ride for such a good fellow , although he had had a very fair notion of what was in one of the letters , and entirely disapproved its contents . The last mail had brought news that Horace Avory was ill , and Peter knew quite well that Toffy had written to Mrs. Avory . Of course she was not the wife for him ; she was very delicate and no longer very young , and she had a plain little daughter who was ten years old . Still , Peter supposed that the marriage might turn out pretty well in spite of obvious drawbacks ; and Heaven knew that Mrs. Avory , in her own sad , tearful way , had fought very bravely against poverty and loneliness and unhappiness , and that she loved Toffy with her whole heart .