About 3 o'clock
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 . The new chauffeur had been summoned by Mrs. Stanlock to take her and Miss Ladd to the club rooms where the committee meeting was to be held . About 3 o'clock a newspaper photographer and a reporter arrived . The girls allowed a group picture to be taken and the reporter was granted an interview . Half an hour after the newspaper men departed , there came a ring at the front door . As Mary , the head servant , was out , Marion answered the ring and found at the entrance a woman of middle age , dressed in plain black , who spoke to her , in quick , eager accents , thus : `` Is this Miss Marion Stanlock ? ''