midnight
Standing there at the mouth of the cave , he felt the sharp frost penetrating his limbs , and he turned away . Regaining the higher ground he began to run , and soon his feet grew warm . Slackening his pace , he walked down towards Ascog Loch , listening the while for the sounds of Aasta 's footsteps . Elspeth had told him that the maiden would surely return to the cave two hours before midnight . But she had not come . Had some disaster overtaken her ? Whither had she gone ?