From that day to the present, he had seen her only a half dozen times, and only for a chance greeting as they had passed each other in the street; but it seemed to him that she had never been really absent from him, so conscious was he of her all the time.

So absorbed was he in these thoughts that a half-hour was gone before he realized it, and the village bells were ringing for nine o' clock when he knocked on the door of the wing.
Mrs.Carr had rolled up her knitting, and was just on the point of going upstairs.

Their little maid of all work had already gone to bed, when Stephen's loud knock startled them all.
"Gracious alive! Mercy, what's that ?" exclaimed Mrs.Carr, all sorts of formless terrors springing upon her at once.

Mercy herself was astonished, and ran hastily to open the door.

When she saw Stephen standing there, her astonishment was increased, and she looked it so undisguisedly that he said,-- "I beg your pardon, Mrs.Philbrick.I know it is late, but my mother sent me in with a message." ...
"Pray come in, Mr.White," interrupted Mercy.