five
in the afternoon
Eagerly Katy seized upon that idea , thinking more of the sign , the water , than the name , which scarcely occupied her thoughts at all . It did not matter what the child was called , so that it became one of the little ones in glory , and with a calmer , quieter demeanor than she had shown that day she saw Morris depart at a late hour ; and then turning to the child which Uncle Ephraim now was holding , kissed it lovingly , whispering as she did so : `` Baby shall be baptized -- baby shall have the sign . '' Morris had telegraphed to New York , receiving in reply that Wilford was hourly expected home , and would at once hasten on to Silverton . The clergyman , Mr. Kelly , had also been seen , but owing to a funeral which would take him out of town , he could not be at the farmhouse until five in the afternoon , when , if the child still lived , he would be glad to officiate as requested . All this Morris had communicated to Katy , who listened in a kind of stupor , gasping for breath , when she heard that Wilford would so soon be there , and moaning `` that will be too late , '' when told that the baptism could not take place till night . Then , kneeling by the crib where the child was lying , she fastened her great , sad blue eyes upon the pallid face with an earnestness as if thus she would hold till nightfall the life flickering so faintly and seeming so nearly finished . The wailings had ceased , and they no longer carried it within their arms , but had placed it in its crib , where it lay perfectly still , save as its eyes occasionally unclosed and turned wistfully toward the cups , where it knew was something which quenched its raging thirst .