midnight
The appearance of the law officers , at Sunnybraes , gave rise to a report , which was industriously spread , that William Chrighton was either a bankrupt or about to become one ; and every individual who had the slightest claim upon him , came hurrying in with distraints and summonses ; and , to complete the catastrophe , on Saturday , about noon , Mr. Goosequill made his appearance , with the proper assistants , and placed the whole of the crop , stocking , & c. , on the farm of Sunnybraes , under sequestration for the rent . All hope of continuing in the farm was now at an end , and it only remained to make the most of the wreck which was still left . On Sabbath morning , the sky had cleared ; the wind shifted about to the north , and , on the afternoon of the same day , a strong frost set in . The frost , accompanied by a sharp breeze , continued throughout the evening , and , as soon as midnight was past , the old man and his son prepared to embrace so favourable an opportunity for securing a portion of the victual which was still exposed . While they were engaged in these preparations , Duncan was left to the care of Mrs. Chrighton , who had been instructed to furnish him with some _ warm meat _ , and a greatcoat . After these injunctions had been obeyed , as he sat by the fire , while she stood over him with anxiety and distress depicted in her countenance -- `` O Duncan , '' said she , `` it 's a terrible thing for honest folk to be sae sair harassed . If lairds would only look after their affairs themselves , instead of trusting them to factors , I 'm sure it would be better for a ' parties .