midnight
The Wheel of Life Throughout the trial he wore the sullen reserve which closed over him like a visor when he approached one of the crises of life . He had made his confession and he stood to it . `` I killed Bill Fletcher '' he gave out flatly enough . What he could not give was an explanation of his unaccountable presence at the Hall so nearly upon midnight . When the question was first put to him he sneered and shrugged his shoulders with the hereditary gesture of the Blakes . `` Why was he there ? Well , why was n't he there ? ''