midnight
And aboard the _ Monarchic _ was not by any means the first time that Madalena had been invaluable in diverting suspicion by throwing it upon the wrong track . Knight had consulted her , praised her , and flattered her from time to time . Now he told himself that he was paying for his thoughtlessness . He had taken Madalena for granted , regarding her as a machine rather than a woman ; and though he owed to her the loss of his happiness , that happiness had been undeserved and , as he expressed it to himself , walking the wet paths at midnight , he had `` stood to lose it anyhow . '' He would frighten Madalena so that she would never dare to try her tricks again , and he would let her understand that because of what she had done their partnership had come to an end once and forever . Otherwise she should feel herself safe from him . Bad he might be , and was , as he knew ; but he did n't think it was in his make-up , somehow , to strike a woman .