midnight
They need not trouble themselves , however . Pete will see that they get it on both sides . '' `` And now sir , '' he added , `` if you would like to see the prisoners to prepare them for what 's coming , you are welcome to , '' and opening the door of the room he told the sentinel in the corridor to let the parson into the guard room , and the silenced and horrified man of God mechanically acting upon the hint went out and left him alone . The imagination of the reader will readily depict the state of mind in which the families of the arrested gentlemen were left after the midnight visit of Perez ' band . That there was no more sleep in those households that night will be easily understood . In the Edwards family the long hours till morning passed in praying and weeping by Mrs. Edwards and Desire , and the younger children . They scarcely dared to doubt that the husband and father was destined to violence or death at the hands of these bloody and cruel men .