four
o'clock
They remounted their horses and were soon lost in the gathering darkness as they made their way over the brow of the rising ground , in the direction of the settlement . The next day saw the possession of the Hon. Bunning-Ford 's ranch pass into other hands . Punctually at noon , the sale began . And by four o'clock the process , which robbed the rancher of everything that he possessed in the world , was completed . Bill stationed himself on the veranda and smoked incessantly while the sale proceeded . He was there to see how the things went , and , in fact , seemed to take an outsider 's interest only . He experienced no morbid sentiment at the loss of his property -- it is doubtful if he cared at all .