midnight
Her manner , however , was so frank and unconstrained that I knew her feelings to be only those of gratitude and friendly regard , seeing clearly that she entertained no such thoughts as had come unbidden to me . In spite of my fatigue , the habit of my life and the strong coffee would have banished all thought of sleep for hours to come , if there had been no other cause , but the touch of a little hand had put more glad awakening life within me than all the stimulants of the world . I went downstairs and looked through the old house to see that all was right , with as much solicitude as if it were indeed my own home . Excepting the disorder I had caused in the kitchen and hall , it had the midnight aspect of quiet and order that might have existed for a century . `` I would not be afraid of the ghosts that came back to this home , '' I muttered . `` Indeed , I would like to see Mr. and Mrs. Yocomb 's ancestors ; and , now I think of it , some one of them should wear a jaunty , worldly hat to account for Adah . By Jove !