ten o'clock
He remained for half an hour , and after that young Mercer , one of his two assistants , came in at intervals . Late in the afternoon it began to clear up , and Father Layonne returned with papers properly made out for Kent 's signature . He was with Kent until sundown , when Mercer came in with supper . Between that hour and ten o'clock Kent observed a vigilance on the part of Dr. Cardigan which struck him as being unusual . Four times he listened with the stethoscope at his chest , but when Kent asked the question which was in his mind , Cardigan shook his head . `` It 's no worse , Kent . I do n't think it will happen tonight . ''