ten o'clock
She hopped out of bed and closed the door into her sitting-room -- Mrs. Hutchins ' room opened off it -- and then she came over and put her hand on my arm . `` Will you sit down and try to tell me just what you mean ? '' she said . `` How can my sister and her -- her wretch of a husband have come last night at midnight when I saw Mr. Carter myself not later than ten o'clock ? '' Well , I had to tell her then about who Mr. Pierce was and why I had to get him , and she understood almost at once . She was the most understanding girl I ever met . She saw at once what Mr. Sam would n't have known in a thousand years -- that I wanted to save the old place not to keep my position -- but because I 'd been there so long , and my father before me , and had helped to make it what it was and all that .