midnight
`` Arthur give this will into the hands of Miss Effingham , or her legal adviser , and obtain her forgiveness for me . '' This the gallant soldier faithfully promised to do . The room was then cleared of all except the rector and the dying baronet . He lingered until sometime after midnight , and ere the light of another day dawned , his spirit had passed away , and the baronetcy became extinct . During the following day Mr. Russell , the agent , arrived , and Arthur , in the name of Miss Effingham , authorized him to settle all claims , and have the body of the late Sir Ralph conveyed to Vellenaux for interment . Having thus arranged matters , Captain Carlton and his friend Draycott started by the next train for London . It was by no means an uncommon occurrence for Sir Ralph to absent himself from home for a day or two without communicating to any one his intentions or the direction in which he was going , therefore his absence at the dinner table in the evening did not excite any misgivings in the mind of Mrs. Fraudhurst , but his non-appearance at the breakfast table the following morning caused considerable disquietude to that amiable person .