midnight
Even if she did n't love you , think how she 'd play the game ! And if she did love you -- Oh , lordy ; Lordy ! LORDY ! '' Towards midnight , to ease the melancholy smell of the dying lamp , he drew reluctantly forth from his deepest blanket-wrapper pocket the little knotted handkerchief that encased the still-treasured handful of fragrant fir-balsam , and bending groaningly forward in his chair sifted the brittle , pungent needles into the face of the one glowing ember that survived . Instantly in a single dazzling flash of flame the tangible forest symbol vanished in intangible fragrance . But along the hollow of his hand , -- across the edge of his sleeve , -- up from the ragged pile of books and papers , -- out from the farthest , remotest corners of the room , lurked the unutterable , undestroyable sweetness of all forests since the world was made . Almost with a sob in his throat Stanton turned again to the box of letters on his table .