the hour of one
Nora thought these thoughts ; but then the feeling that _ Someone _ else who never fails those who trust Him was also watching her during this silent hour came to her with a sense of comfort . She could hear her father turning once or twice in the creaky old wooden bed . She was glad to feel that , unknown to him , she was his guardian angel . She began to think about the future , and almost to forget Andy and the possible and very great peril of the present , when , shortly before the hour of one , all her senses were preternaturally excited by the sound of a footfall . It was a very soft footfall -- the noise made by a bare foot . Nora heard it just where the shadow was deepest . She stood up now ; she knew that , from her present position , the one who was making this dead sort of heavy sound could not possibly see her .