ten o'clock
`` I 've no idee who she was , '' said Mrs. Douglas ; `` but I think it 's purty likely she was some crazy critter they was takin ' to the hospital . '' Another groan from beneath the brown veil , and turning around the kind-hearted Mrs. Douglas asked if she was sick , adding in an aside , as there came no answer , `` Been fightin ' , I 'll warrant ! '' Fortunately for Madam Conway , the cars moved on , and when they stopped again , to her great relief , the owner of the blue umbrella , together with `` Sam Babbit 's wife , '' alighted , and amid the crowd assembled on the platform she recognized Betsy Jane , who had come down to meet her mother . The remainder of the way seemed tedious enough , for the train moved but slowly , and it was near ten o'clock ere they reached the Hillsdale station , where , to her great delight , Madam Conway found Margaret awaiting her , together with Arthur Carrollton . The moment she saw the former , who came eagerly forward to meet her , the weary , worn-out woman burst into tears ; but at the sight of Mr. Carrollton she forced them back , saying , in reply to Maggie 's inquiries , that Theo was not at home , and that she had spent a dreadful day , and been knocked down in a fight at the depot , in proof of which she pointed to her torn dress , her crumpled bonnet , and scratched face . Maggie laughed aloud in spite of herself , and though Mr. Carrollton 's eyes were several times turned reprovingly upon her she continued to laugh at intervals at the sorry , forlorn appearance presented by her grandmother , who for several days was confined to her bed from the combined effects of fasting , fright , firemen 's muster , and her late encounter with Mrs. Douglas , senior ! Mr. Carrollton had returned from Boston on Thursday afternoon , and , finding them all gone from the hotel , had come on to Hillsdale on the evening train , surprising Maggie as she sat in the parlor alone , wishing herself in Worcester , or in some place where it was not as lonely as there .