six o'clock
As it chanced , she had been eagerly anticipating a visit to the theatre with Miss Merriman , who was home for a few days between cases ; but something about his manner caused her to tell a white lie without hesitation . `` Good , '' he said . `` I 'll call for you in my car and take you to Ethel 's for dinner . Be ready at six o'clock . '' All the rest of the day Donald 's presence had been strangely close to her , and she found herself wondering what it portended ; but not until the pleasant family meal was over , and he was taking her home , did she learn . When they came out of the house they found a baby blizzard sending the first snow of the season , as light and dry as tiny particles of down , whirling and eddying through the broad street . As Rose stood in surprise at the top of the brownstone steps , a dry vagrant , left from one of the trees which was tossing its gaunt arms protestingly , came tumbling down to become stem-entangled in her hair .