midnight
He walked on , but paused again at the smoke-house . The tow-head was just behind , and the cattleman could hear the sound of chattering teeth ; so he whipped off his overcoat and tossed it back . When he entered the hall the chattering had stopped , and the coat had disappeared into the shadow of a granary . After the cattleman settled himself upon the bench in the kitchen , the house fell into quiet once more ; and it was not until midnight that the hush was broken . Then the biggest brother , having moved the curtains of the canopied bed and turned up the lamp , discovered what he felt to be the dreaded change in the little girl , and uttered a frightened exclamation . Her face , so long flushed with fever , was blanched and wan . Her eyes were entirely closed , and their long lashes lay on her cheeks .