nearly midnight
She dreaded to go anywhere out of the solitude of Nature in which she had tried to hide . But he assured her of privacy and protection , and she was spent and beaten , and she gave in . Like a child , she stood to be wrapped in the rug and lifted into the buggy , and they proceeded on their way to his home , where his old sister kept house for him and mothered his child , with the aid of one servant . It was nearly midnight when they arrived , and the parsonage was dark . Miss Goldsworthy , not expecting him , was sitting up with a sick parishioner half a mile off ; Ruby and the maid were fast asleep . When the latter was heard stirring in her room , her master called a few questions to her , and then bade her go back to bed . `` We do n't want her poking round , '' he whispered to Mary , as -LRB- when together they had hurried the mare into her stall -RRB- he led the drooping girl to his study -- and how grateful she was to him for this consideration !