midnight
Slowly , he left the room . The woman locked the door . Returning to the window , she fell on her knees , and stretched her hands imploringly toward the tiny spot of light that still shone against the dark shadow of the mountain-side . Between the mighty walls of tree-clad hills that lifted their solemn crests into the midnight sky , the dark river poured the sombre strength of its innumerable currents , -- terrible in its awful power ; dreadful , in its mysterious and unseen forces ; irresistible in its ceaseless , onward rush to the sea of its final and infinite purpose ! And here and there on the restless , ever-moving surface of the shadowy , never-ending flood twinkled the reflection of a star . The President of the Empire Consolidated Savings Bank looked up from the papers on his desk as his secretary entered from the adjoining room and stood before him . `` Well , George ? ''