midnight
Twice during the winter Pliny took from his father 's hand the glass of sparkling wine , and thereby roused afresh the demon who was only slumbering within him -- he came out from the grand mansion disgusted , frightened at his broken resolves , and yet , towering above every other feeling , was the awful desire to have more of the poison ; and what would have been the closing scene of that visit home , but for one thing , Pliny in his sane moments next day shuddered to think . The one thing was , that Theodore , first worried , and then alarmed at his friend 's long stay , finally started in search of him , and took care that their ride down town should be in the same car , and by coaxings and beguilings , and also by force of a stronger will , enticed him home , and petted him tenderly through the fiery headache which the one glass and the tremendous excitement had induced . The second visit was the more dangerous , and fraught with direr consequences . Theodore was unexpectedly detained by pressing business , and Pliny seized upon that unfortunate evening in which to go home ; and he reeled back to his room at midnight , just sense enough left to find his way home , with the aid of a policeman . Theodore sat up during the rest of that long , weary night , and bathed the throbbing temples , and soothed as best he could the crazed brain , and groaned in spirit , and prayed in almost hopeless agony ; yet , while he prayed , his faith arose once more , and once more the assurance seemed to come to him that Christ had not died for this soul in vain . There was one important matter that occurred during the winter . Over the doors of Mr. Stephens ' dry-goods establishment had hung for a dozen years the sign : `` Stephens & Co. , '' the `` Co. '' standing for a branch house in Chicago .