midnight
Wild thoughts assailed her , thoughts against which she struggled with all the strength of her will . In that hour of stress Hannibal was sustained by his faith in the judge . He saw his patron 's powerful and picturesque intelligence applied to solving the mystery of their disappearance from Belle Plain ; it was inconceivable that this could prove otherwise than disastrous to Mr. Slosson and he endeavored to share the confidence he was feeling with Betty , but there was something so forced and unnatural in the girl 's voice and manner when she discussed his conjectures that he quickly fell into an awed silence . At last , and it must have been some time after midnight , troubled slumbers claimed him . No moment of forgetfulness came to Betty . She was waiting for what -- she did not know ! The candle burnt lower and lower and finally went out and she was left in darkness , but again she was conscious of sounds from the room below .