midnight
`` Them nightdresses , '' she sighed , `` as is all fluffs an ' frills an ' openwork , may be all right when you 're young , but for true comfort give me -- flannel , every time . '' Here Ravenslee , in the act of sipping his brandy and soda , choked ; when at last he glanced around , Mrs. Trapes was gone . Then he drew a chair to the fire and , sitting down , took up his pipe and tried to light it , but Hermione 's nervous white fingers had packed it too tightly for mortal suction , whereat he sighed and , yielding to the impossible , sat with it in his hand , lost in happy thought and waiting for the swift light footsteps he yearned to hear . The clock in the hall without struck midnight , but long after the mellow chime had died away he sat there waiting ; but the great house lay very still about him , and no sound broke the pervading quiet . Wherefore at last he grew restless , frowned at the dying fire , and his strong fingers clenched themselves fiercely about the pipe they still held . All at once he started , rose to his feet , and turned toward the door eager-eyed , as a hand knocked softly ; before he could speak it opened , and Mrs. Trapes reappeared ; she was clad in a long flannel dressing gown , and as she paused in the shadows by the door he could vaguely define that she still held the precious watch to her ear . `` It do tick that musical , '' she said , `` an ' I ca n't sleep this night till I 've tried t ' thank ye both for -- for all your goodness to a lonely woman .