about eight o'clock
This was , however , a somewhat dangerous experiment ; for , although Tibby M'Murdo was known to be favourable -- as who amongst the lower classes was not ? -- to the non-conformists , yet she might not choose to run the immense risk of ruin and even death , which might result from her knowingly giving harbour to a rebel . So , by way of sounding the old woman -- who lived in the house by herself , her granddaughter , who was at service in the town , only visiting her occasionally -- they proposed to stay all night in the house , as they were in hourly expectation of a wool-dealer who had made an appointment to meet them here , but who , owing to the heavy roads , had manifestly been detained beyond the appointed time . The old woman had various objections to this arrangement ; but was at last persuaded to make an addition to her fire , to put half-a-dozen bottles of her best ale on the table , with a tappit hen , and what she termed `` a wee drap o ' the creature , '' and to retire to rest about eight o'clock , her usual hour , they having already paid for all , and promised not to leave the house till she rose in the morning . At this time , about eight o'clock , the night had suddenly became dark and cloudy , and there was a strange noise up amongst the rocks overhead . It was manifest that there was a change of weather fast approaching . At last the snow descended , the wind arose , and it became a perfect tempest .