midnight
No matter if he were too sick to stand , he would get up and dress , get a carriage and go ... . It was better than staying and going mad . The hotel was practically empty , he knew , for everybody who could be at the capitol was there to witness the closing hours of the Assembly . Word had spread that Robert Burroughs would surely be elected before midnight . The whole city and most of the State 's inhabitants of voting age and sex were crowded into the capitol . Charlie knew that Winifred was with Mrs. Latimer across the hall . Hurriedly he dressed , trembling with fear and physical weakness , packed a suit case , felt to see if the thirty thousand dollars was safe , and cautiously opening the outer door , peeped into the hall to see if the way was clear .