midnight
He was a cool man , accustomed to critical situations , and one who never lost his head in an emergency . Only a few years before he had stopped a runaway hunter , with a girl clinging to a stirrup , by springing straight at the horse 's head and bringing them both to the ground unhurt . It only required the same instantaneous concentration of all his forces , he said to himself , as he gazed into old Alec 's terror-stricken face framed by the open window . Once let the truth be known and the house would be in a panic -- women fainting , men rushing out , taking sides with the combatants , with perhaps other duels to follow -- Mrs. Rutter frantic , the ball suddenly broken up , and this , too , near midnight , with most of his guests ten miles and more from home . Murmurs of alarm were already reaching his ears : What was it ? -- who had fainted ? -- did the scream come from inside or outside the room ?