about nine o'clock
`` When did she go ? '' asked Gardley , quickly looking up . `` She took supper with me and then went to her room , complaining of a headache , '' said the father , his voice showing his utter hopelessness . `` She may have gone early in the evening , perhaps , for we all turned in about nine o'clock to keep the house quiet on her account . '' `` Have you any idea which way they went , east or west ? '' Gardley was the keen adviser in a crisis now , his every sense on the alert . The old man shook his head .