eight o'clock
In a moment he would see her ; he would take her tenderly in his arms , and heart to heart they would mutually forgive and forget , and , strengthened by their love , would face the future boldly and bid the world do its worst . The evening of the party arrived . The house had been thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the event , and decorated with the choicest treasures of the garden . By eight o'clock the guests had gathered . They were all mulattoes , -- all people of mixed blood were called `` mulattoes '' in North Carolina . There were dark mulattoes and bright mulattoes . Mis ' Molly 's guests were mostly of the bright class , most of them more than half white , and few of them less .