noon
They began to understand , however , when she ordered the goods sent that night by express , to that station on the Illinois Central Railroad which lay nearest the scene of Guilford Duncan 's operations , and directed that the bill be sent to him at the X National Bank for payment . Barbara made short work of her buying . When it was done she hurried home and packed a small trunk with some simple belongings of her own . At seven o'clock the next morning , accompanied by the negro boy Robert , she took the train and before noon found herself at the little station to which she had ordered the freight sent . She was disappointed to find that although she had ordered the goods sent by express , they had not come by the train on which she had traveled . The railroad was run by telegraphic orders in those days , and so , even at this small station , there was an instrument and an operator . Making use of these , Barbara inquired concerning the freight , and was assured of its arrival by a train due at four o'clock .