Midnight
But Steel heard nothing . Everything seemed as silent as the grave . It was only by a kind of inner consciousness that he knew the hour to be midnight . Midnight meant the coming of the last day . After sunrise some greasy lounger pregnant of cheap tobacco would come in and assume that he represented the sheriff , bills would be hung like banners on the outward walls , and then . -- `` Pring , pring , pring . Ting , ting , ting , ting , ting , ting , ting , ting .