six o'clock
It was she who comforted the poor old mother , and who pleaded with Jack to try and take up the duties of life again , and to forget faithless Dorothy . But he would only shake his head , and answer that he would never cease to love Dorothy and search for her while life lasted . But troubles never seem to come singly . One day , as Jack was pacing restlessly up and down Broadway -- the vantage-ground which he always sought at six o'clock each evening , to scan the faces of the working-girls as they passed , with the lingering hope in his heart that some day , sooner or later , his vigilance would be rewarded by seeing Dorothy -- a terrible accident happened which almost cost him his life . An old sign on one of the corner buildings , which had done service many a year , suddenly fell , and Jack -- poor Jack , was knocked senseless to the pavement . Surely it was the workings of Providence that Jessie Staples happened along just at that critical moment . With a wild , bitter cry she sprang forward , flinging herself upon the prostrate body , shrieking out as she saw his handsome , white face with the stains of blood upon it : `` Oh , Heaven have mercy !