midnight
These corners were securely roped across from wagon to wagon . To-night , however , the corral space was reduced and the quartet of vehicles huddled closer together . At dusk the hot wind came sweeping in from the southwest , a wild , lashing fury , swirling the sand in great spirals from the river bed . Our fire was put out and the blackness of midnight fell upon us . The horses were restless and the mules squealed and stamped . All night the very spirit of fear seemed to fill the air . Just before daybreak a huge black storm-cloud came boiling up out of the southwest , with a weird yellow band across the sky before it .