two o'clock in the afternoon
Sir George was still speaking in his quiet , earnest manner ; her eyes were fixed on him so that she scarce heeded her steps , and twice long sprays of sweetbrier caught her gown , and Sir George freed her . But her eyes never wandered from him ; and I myself thought he never looked so handsome and courtly as he did now , in his officer 's uniform and black cockade . Where their pathway entered the alders , below the lane , they vanished from our sight ; and , leaving Mount to watch I went back to the house , to search it thoroughly from cellar to the dark garret beneath the eaves . At two o'clock in the afternoon Sir George and Magdalen Brant had not returned . I called Mount into the house , and we cooked some eggs and johnny-cake to stay our stomachs . An hour later I sent Mount out to make a circle of a mile , strike the Iroquois trail and hang to it till dark , following any traveller , white or red , who might be likely to lead him towards the secret trysting-place of the False-Faces . Left alone at the house , I continued to rummage , finding nothing of importance , however ; and towards dusk I came out to see if I might discover Sir George and Magdalen Brant .