midnight
For one dark Autumn day , when the last blossom of the Grant Girls ' garden had drooped before the frost , the Blue Bonnets were suddenly called to go overseas . Gavin had come home just the night before for a week-end leave , and a telegram summoned him to rejoin his Battalion at once . There was a great stir at Craig-Ellachie . Hughie Reid hurried over as soon as the news reached him , and he sent one of his boys to fetch Mrs. Johnnie Dunn to help the Aunties through their trial , and Hughie himself got out his Ford car to take Gavin to Algonquin to catch the midnight train for Toronto . The weather seemed to be in accord with the hearts of the three bereaved old women , a cold rain came sweeping across the hills just as night fell and Gavin drove away from his old home and the loving arms that would have held him , into the storm and darkness , and the light of Craig-Ellachie went out with him . Christina had not heard of Gavin 's sudden call , and while he was driving away in the wind and rain , she was sitting by the fire winding a skein of yarn which Wallace Sutherland was holding . The sitting room was warm and bright , and had many pretty feminine touches , and there were plenty of easy chairs and cushions that Mary had contributed from time to time .