midnight
`` He grew to be rich after your mother died . But I lost touch of him then , and when and where he came by his death is more than I can tell ye , child ! '' There was implication in this of a prosperous colonist , completely impatriated in the land of his wealth . Ruth 's father 's vanished history was of less importance than the clock 's statement that it was midnight . Her `` Now , mother , we 're later and later . It 's striking to-morrow , now ! '' referred to present life and present bedtime , and her rapid adjustment of the spools meant business .