midnight
Her face gave no hint of the heart-sickness she endured ; she nodded to him in the old friendly way , and the easy recognition brought home to him the cool truth that , after all , the wild hopes of the previous night had been of his own making , not hers . Yet why had she written and so quickly , to inform him of her bargain with Bullard ? Was her note just an uncontrollable cry for pity , sympathy ? It was after midnight when he led her to a corner in the deserted supper-room . `` Shall I congratulate you , Doris ? '' he asked gently . `` Why , yes , I think you had better , '' she answered with a bitter little smile , `` on having done my duty .