four o'clock
I had promised Chelford to run up to Redman 's Farm , and let him know if the jury arrived at a verdict during his absence . They did so ; finding that the body was that of Marcus Wylder , Esquire , of Raddiston , and ` that he had come by his death in consequence of two wounds inflicted with a sharp instrument , in the region of the heart , by some person or persons unknown , at a period of four weeks since or upwards . ' Chelford was engaged in the sick room , as I understood , in conference with the patient . It was well to have heard , without procrastination , what he had to say ; for next morning , at a little past four o'clock , he died . A nurse who had been called in from the county infirmary , said he made a very happy ending . He mumbled to himself , in his drowsy state , as she was quite sure , in prayer ; and he made a very pretty corpse when he was laid out , and his golden hair looked so nice , and he was all so slim and shapely . Rachel and Dorcas were sitting in the room with him -- not expecting the catastrophe then .