midnight
It was well known that the master kept large sums of money in his house , which , as I have told you , was situated among lonely fields , nearly a mile from Botfield ; and no one lived with him , except Miss Anne , and one maid-servant . It was a very secure building , with stone casements and strongly barred doors ; but if a boy could get through the pantry window , he could admit the others readily . How long it would be before the attempt was made Stephen could not tell , but it was already late , and Black Thompson had left him hurriedly . But at least it must be an hour or two nearer midnight , and all hopes of rescue and defence rested upon him and Martha only . Martha was sitting by the fire knitting , and Bess Thompson was pinning on her shawl to go home . Poor Bess ! Even in his excitement Stephen felt for her ; but he dared not utter a word till she was gone .