midnight
The lantern showed that they were built on a curve . Silently Racksole resumed possession of the lantern and went first , the Prince close behind him . At the foot was a short passage , and in this passage crouched the figure of a woman . Her eyes threw back the rays of the lantern , shining like a cat 's at midnight . Then , as the men went nearer , they saw that it was Miss Spencer who barred their way . She seemed half to kneel on the stone floor , and in one hand she held what at first appeared to be a dagger , but which proved to be nothing more romantic than a rather long bread-knife . ` I heard you , I heard you , ' she exclaimed .