four o'clock
Once or twice through the waning storm Mary heard the deep bell of the little church , tolling the hours ; once or twice she went hurriedly downstairs thinking there were steps in the garden , only to meet her mother in the hall , on the same bootless errand . At last , worn with thinking and praying , she fell fitfully asleep , and woke to find moonlight shining through the white blind in Alice Puttenham 's room . She drew aside the blind and saw with a shock of surprise that the storm was over ; the valley lay pure white under a waning moon just dipping to the western fells ; the clouds were upfurling ; and only the last echoes of the gale were dying through the bare , snow-laden trees that fringed the stream . It was four o'clock . Six hours , since the rescue party had started . Alack ! -- they must have had far to seek .