ten o'clock
-- And away she hurried , softly closing the door after her . Mr. Landholm 's quiet study was remarkably quiet for a good while after she went out . No leaf of his book rustled over ; not a foot of his chair grated on the floor , -- for though the floor did boast a bit of carpet , it lay not where he sat , by the window ; and the coals and firebrands fell noiselessly down into the ashes and nobody was reminded that the fire would burn itself out in time if it was let alone . The morning light grew stronger , and the sunbeams that never got there till between nine and ten o'clock , walked into the room ; and they found Winthrop Landholm with his elbow on the table and his head in his hand , where they often were ; but with his eyes where they _ not _ often were -- on the floor . The sunbeams said very softly that it was time to be at the office , but they said it very softly , and Winthrop did not hear them . He heard however presently a footstep on the stair , in the next story at first , and then mounting the uppermost flight that led to the attic . A heavy brisk energetic footstep , -- not Mrs. Nettley 's soft and slow tread , nor the more deliberate one of her brother .