a quarter to four o'clock
But Mollie did manage to persuade Harriet to go into the next room . As Harriet slipped out of her bedroom , her cousin , Ruth Stuart , stole into it , hiding something she held in her hand . She was alone in Harriet 's room for not more than two minutes . At a quarter to four o'clock , Harriet Hamlin left her father 's house with a large envelope concealed inside her shopping bag . Opposition had merely strengthened Harriet 's original resolution . She was no longer frightened . Ruth and Bab were absurd to have been so tragic over a silly joke .