eleven o'clock
She waited then in expectancy that now Rosamond would appear to take her to Madame Milano , but no one came , and in a shorter time than it seemed to her she rose , spurred by the amused lady 's eyes , and made her way among the chatting throngs straight to the dressing-room , where she ordered her wraps and made her way downstairs with the calm of hope destroyed . She passed the footmen at the door , quite aware of their stares and equally undaunted by them . Through the lane of canvas she gained the pavement and so was out in the night streets -- alone for the first time in her sheltered life . Artemis Lodge was only a few squares distant and she almost ran the short blocks , arriving at the green entrance door out of breath and suddenly realizing that the custodian left at eleven o'clock and Rosamond had the night key which Miss Ardsley allowed only to privileged ones . As she hesitated , a couple of figures came toward her , and she was overjoyed to recognize Mary Scull , one of the oldest residents , and little Rita Stanford , whom she had been chaperoning to a concert given by the blind . They were so full of the wonderful work done by these afflicted musicians that they scarcely listened to her limping explanation of her dilemma . They took her in with them and left her at the foot of her own stair , and she could hear them as they went across the courtyard in the quiet starlight , discussing the difficulties of song-reading by the blind .