Four o'clock
Did he know she prayed for him , and was the thought a comfort to him ? Surely Peter was the happier of the two , for he was not a sorrowing criminal , wandering the earth , hiding and repenting . So all her thoughts went out to Richard , and no wonder she was a weary little wight at the end of the school day . Four o'clock , and the children went hurrying away , all but Hilton Le Moyne , who lingered awhile at his desk , and then reluctantly departed , seeing Teacher did not look up from her papers except to give him a nod and a fugitive little smile of absent-minded courtesy . Left thus alone , Betty lifted the lid of her desk and put away the school register and the carefully marked papers to be given out the next day , and took from a small portfolio a packet of closely written sheets . These she untied and looked over , tossing them rapidly aside one after another until she found the one for which she searched . It was a short poem , hastily written with lead pencil , and much crumpled and worn , as if it had been carried about .