midnight
Sylvia knew -- widow Dobson had brought it in -- that there was some kind of medicine , sent by the hopeless doctors , lying upon the table hard by , and she softly rose and poured it out and dropped it into the half-open mouth . Then she knelt down again , holding the hand feebly stretched out to her , and watching the faint light in the wistful loving eyes . And in the stillness she heard the ceaseless waves lapping against the shelving shore . Something like an hour before this time , which was the deepest midnight of the summer 's night , Hester Rose had come hurrying up the road to where Kester and his sister sate outside the open door , keeping their watch under the star-lit sky , all others having gone away , one by one , even John and Jeremiah Foster having returned to their own house , where the little Bella lay , sleeping a sound and healthy slumber after her perilous adventure . Hester had heard but little from William Darley as to the owner of the watch and the half-crown ; but he was chagrined at the failure of all his skilful interrogations to elicit the truth , and promised her further information in a few days , with all the more vehemence because he was unaccustomed to be baffled . And Hester had again whispered to herself ` Patience ! Patience ! '