four o'clock
Six months had not made Bill Gregg rich from his mine , but it had convinced him , on the contrary , that a man with a wife must have a sure income , even if it be a small one . He squatted on a small piece of land , gathered a little herd , and , having thrown up a four-room shack , he and Caroline lived as happily as king and queen . Not that domains were very large , but , from their hut on the hill , they could look over a fine sweep of country , which did not all belong to them , to be sure , but which they constantly promised themselves should one day be theirs . It was the dull period of the afternoon , the quiet , waiting period which comes between three or four o'clock and the sunset , and Bill and his wife sat in the shadow of the mighty silver spruce before their door . The great tree was really more of a home for them than the roof they had built to sleep under . Presently Caroline stood up and pointed . `` She 's coming , '' she said , and , looking down the hillside , she smiled in anticipation .