midnight
The men stood round for a few moments not knowing what to do , until finally the policeman led the ambulance-men and Robertson to the door , which opened automatically . As the Indian closed the door behind them the officer said to Robertson : `` This is like the last act in a Third Avenue melodrama . '' `` Life has a liking for such plays , '' answered Robertson . As they left the Hanbury mansion the clock of Grace Church struck midnight . Robertson glanced down Broadway once more and saw that the long thoroughfare was almost deserted ; only here and there the bluish-white light from the electric lamps shone on the bayonets of the sentinels patrolling up and down at long intervals . Then he repaired to the _ Daily Telegraph _ offices to dictate his notes , so that the huge rolls of printed paper might announce to the world to-morrow that the first victims of the terrible war had fallen on the streets of New York . The factory of Horace Hanbury & Son was not shut down .