midnight
I hope it may be tomorrow ; but Thursday is the latest . '' So Patty took her departure , tripping briskly homeward . As for Hilliard , he returned to his sitting-room , and was busy for some time with the pencilling of computations in English and French money . Towards midnight , he walked as far as High Street , and looked at the windows above the music-shop . All was dark . He rose very early next morning , and as post-time drew near he walked about the street in agonies of suspense . He watched the letter-carrier from house to house , followed him up , and saw him pass the number at which he felt assured that he would deliver a letter .