3 until 4:30
To add to the difficulty of the problem , snow began to fall about 5 o'clock , and developed almost into a blizzard in three or four hours . Next morning the two newspapers of Hollyhill carried big headlines and column-and-a-half stories of the new strike development , suggestive of a far-reaching plot that might result in tragedy . Mr. Stanlock had during the evening received all newspaper calls over a special wire in his private room , so as not to disturb the guests with the publicity end of the affair . In the afternoon Mrs. Stanlock announced that she , being an officer of the woman 's club with an important duty to perform , must attend a committee meeting from 3 until 4:30 o'clock , and she asked Miss Ladd to accompany her . The latter consented , but cautioned the girls against leaving the house , inasmuch as the three detectives were no longer available for guard duty , having been directed to devote their entire time to the search for Helen . There were now at the house only the twelve remaining Camp Fire Girls and the kitchen maid , Kitty Koepke . Marion 's younger sister and brother were attending a children 's afternoon party a few blocks away .