midnight before
Nothing now could save her father -- not even this journey to Washington which she determined to take nevertheless , for , according to what Stott had said , the Senate was to take a vote that very night . She looked at the time -- eleven o'clock . She had told Mr. Ryder that she would leave his house at once , but on reflection it was impossible for a girl alone to seek a room at that hour . It would be midnight before she could get her things packed . No , she would stay under this hated roof until morning and then take the first train to Washington . There was still a chance that the vote might be delayed , in which case she might yet succeed in winning over some of the senators . She began to gather her things together and was thus engaged when she , heard a knock at her door .