midnight
But suddenly , in passing a brilliantly lighted café , the thought of Arthur crossed his mind ; and , for the first time , the idea flashed upon him , that he might have been one of those concerned in the capture of little Blanche . He stopped short , and was about to turn back , to endeavor to trace the fugitives , when he remembered that Arthur had as yet but just commenced the downward path , and that he could not already have become so fallen as to commit so base an act as that which he had just witnessed . It had been too dark to recognize faces , and his own excitement had prevented him from thinking to notice the voices ; and the more he thought of it , the more convinced was he that Arthur was not among them . He had sat with Guly by the fire until the midnight hour had passed , waiting for Arthur 's return ; but when the fire died out , and the lamp faded , and he still was absent , he persuaded Guly to go to bed , promising that he would seek his brother before he slept . Guly would fain have accompanied him , but Wilkins induced him to remain , not wishing to familiarize the pure heart of his boy-friend with the scenes in which he felt convinced he must look for the wanderer . Wilkins faithfully kept his word , and left no place unsearched wherein he thought it possible to find Arthur . He believed he would find him in some one of the popular places of resort , standing ever open , with their false glitter and dangerous splendor , to lure their victims to destruction .