midnight
Of course Vera and Paula were delighted to assist ; but Thekla was too young for the amusements of grown-up maidens , and was much better pleased to help her two elder sisters in preparations for the next day , placing tennis nets , arranging croquet hoops , mustering chairs by the verandah , and adorning tables with flowers . Agatha 's assistance was heartily given , as making it her own concern , and , for that reason above all others , it was a happy day , though a very tiring one , to Magdalen , in spite of the sultry atmosphere and the sight of lurid-looking clouds over the moors , which did not augur well for the next day 's weather , and caused all the arrangement of chairs and rugs to be prudently broken up and deposited under the verandah . This was done , and the evening meal had been taken , and Thekla had gone to bed before some flashes of lightning made the two sisters wish to see the other pair at home , especially as Vera was much afraid of lightning , and Paula apt to be made quite ill by it . The storm rolled on , bringing violent gusts of wind and hail , though not at the very nearest , and such a hurricane of wind and rain ensued that the two watchers concluded that the two girls must have been housed for the night by some of the friends at Rock Quay , and it was near midnight , when just as they had gone to their rooms , a carriage was heard ascending the hill , and they had reached the door before Paulina sprang out with the cry , `` Is she come home ? '' Then at sight of the blank faces of dismay , she seized hold of Agatha 's hands and began to sob . Mr. Flight had stepped out of the car at the same moment , and answered the incoherent questions and exclamations . `` Young Delrio offered to take photographs of the party , and that was the last time she was seen . ''