a quarter to five
Carry crept out of hers by the earliest dawn of daylight , without waking her sister , and put on her clothes stealthily . Then she made her way silently to the front door , which she opened , and stood there outside waiting till her father should come . The morning , though it was in August , was chill , and the time seemed to be very long . She had managed to look at the old clock as she passed , and had seen that it wanted a quarter to five . She knew that her father was never later than five . What , if on this special morning he should not come , just because she had resolved , after many inward struggles , to make one great effort to obtain his pardon . At last he was coming .