eight o'clock
She crumpled up her newspaper , flung it on the floor , and plunged over to her desk . Nannie looked helplessly at the back of her head , then went off to her parlor . She sat there in the firelit darkness , too distracted and frightened to light the gas , planning how the news must be told . At eight o'clock there was a fluttering , uncertain ring at the front door , and Cherry-pie came quivering in : had Nannie heard anything more ? Did she know where _ they _ were ? `` I asked her uncle to come down here and see if Mrs. Maitland had heard anything , but -- he was dreadful , Nannie , dreadful ! He said he would see the whole family in -- I ca n't repeat where he said he would see them ! ''