about
midnight
From afar he saw lights burning down in the valley and recognized them as the lamps in the four wall towers . The gates were closed but at his call a man appeared from the shadows and opened to him . He rode in ; dismounting , he let the rifle slip into a hiding place in the shrubbery ; another man at the front corridor took his horse . At about midnight he again entered the old adobe building . The main hall into which he stepped through the front door was still brightly lighted with its several lamps ; through open doors he saw that nowhere in the house were lights out . Yet it was very quiet ; he heard neither voice nor step . He knew where Zoraida was ; no doubt Rios and Escobar were with her .