nearly five o'clock
I think you had better go to the house of sister Russell , who will welcome you with all her heart , and give you the best she has . '' `` And I want no more , '' said the preacher . After getting precise directions for finding sister Russell , he started on his journey . It was nearly five o'clock , and he made his calculation to reach sister Russell 's by seven , where he would remain all night , and go with her to the preaching-place on Sunday morning . He had not , however , been half an hour on his journey , before heavy masses of deep blue clouds began to roll up from the horizon and spread over the sky ; and ere he had accomplished half the distance he was going , large drops of rain began to fall , as the beginning of a heavy storm . The preacher was constrained to turn aside and seek the shelter of a farm-house , where he was received with much kindness . Night-fall brought no abatement of the tempest .