midnight
`` Where 's Kathy , '' inquired Ernestine , who strongly objected to the extremely abbreviated form of ` Kat . ' `` Down at the pond , she 's coming , '' answered Kittie , with a strangely worried look ; but Ernestine flitted by without noticing it , and pretty soon Kittie quit leaning over the lattice and went in slowly . Just as Mrs. Dering was leaving her room to go down to tea , she heard a peculiarly suspicious noise out in the back hall , unmistakably the careful opening of a window , as of someone on the low roof without , and pausing to listen , Mrs. Dering became convinced , that someone was surely making entrance to the house in that questionable manner . A midnight burglary was a rare occurrence in Canfield , but one in the early fall of evening , was beyond imagination , and yet Mrs. Dering was conscious of a little trepidation , as she tiptoed her way round to the back hall , and fancy pictured a man , with sly intent , coming over the window-sill . Whoever the intruder was , he was working with great care , and wholly unconscious of any one 's approach , for when Mrs. Dering reached the corner and peeped around , the intruding head was just leveled , and coming through , carefully followed by a nimble body , but not clothed in the habiliments usually donned by burglars ; instead , there appeared a blue calico much drenched and ornamented with wet weeds , an apron wholly unrecognizable as to color or design , and a drabbled hat hanging to the intruder 's neck . As this queer apparition landed on the floor , Mrs. Bering stepped around the corner , whereupon the bold burglar jumped and screamed faintly , and the lady laughed , though she said with grave inquiry : `` Why Kathleen ! What does this mean ? ''