four o'clock
Martie and Rod were walking , and Martie , before she went , had said something vague about coming back at half-past four . Lydia , abashed , gave up her plan for tea . But she did what she could for Martie , by inveigling her father into a walk . Martie and Rod came into an empty house , for Sally was out , no one knew where , and Mrs. Monroe had gone to church where vespers were sung at four o'clock through the winter . Martie 's colour was high from fast walking in the cold wind , her eyes shone like sapphires , and her loosened hair , under an old velvet tam-o ' - shanter cap , made a gold aureole about her face . Rodney , watching her mount the little hill to the graveyard with a winter sunset before her , had called her `` Brunhilde , '' and he had been talking of grand opera as they walked home . Enchanted at finding the house deserted , she very simply took him into the kitchen .