nine in the evening
Since the morning when Durward had so boldly avowed himself ` Lena 's champion , her health and spirits began to improve . That she was not wholly indifferent to him she had every reason to believe , and notwithstanding the strong barrier between them , hope sometimes whispered to her of a future , when all that was now so dark and mysterious should be made plain . But while she was thus securely dreaming , a cloud , darker and deeper than any which had yet overshadowed her , was gathering around her pathway . Gradually had the story of her ride to Captain Atherton 's gained circulation , magnifying itself as it went , until at last it was currently reported that at several different times had she been seen riding away from Sunnyside at unseasonable hours of the night , the time varying from nine in the evening to three in the morning according to the exaggerating powers of the informer . But few believed it , and yet such is human nature , that each and every one repeated it to his or her neighbor , until at last it reached Mrs. Graham , who , forgetting the caution of her son , said , with a very wise look , that `` she was not at all surprised -- she had from the first suspected ` Lena , and she had the best of reasons for so doing ! '' Of course Mrs. Graham 's friend was exceedingly anxious to know what she meant , and by dint of quizzing , questioning and promising never to tell , she at last drew out just enough of the story to know that Mr. Graham had a daguerreotype which looked just like ` Lena , and that Mrs. Graham had no doubt whatever that she was in the habit of writing to him . This of course was repeated , notwithstanding the promise of secrecy , and many of the neighbors suddenly remembered some little circumstance trivial in itself , but all going to swell the amount of evidence against poor ` Lena , who , unconscious of the gathering storm , did not for a time observe the sidelong glances cast toward her whenever she appeared in public .