four o'clock
But whither she would go when she left the house , -- whether on to the hated cottage at Pycroft Common , or to her father 's house , she had not made up her mind when she tied on her hat . She went on along the road towards Devizes , and about two miles from the village she came to a lane turning to the left , with a finger-post . On this was written a direction , -- To Bullhampton and Imber ; and here she turned short off towards the parish in which she had been born . It was then four o'clock , and when she had travelled a mile further she found a nook under the wall of a little bridge , and there she seated herself , and ate her dinner of bread and cheese . While she was there a policeman on foot passed along the road . The man did not see her , and had he seen her would have taken no more than a policeman 's ordinary notice of her ; but she saw him , and in consequence did not leave her hiding-place for hours . About nine o'clock she crept on again , but even then her mind was not made up .