four o'clock in the morning
He was believed to be a young man of exemplary life and ardent faith , and a peculiar interest had been centred in him ever since he had fallen at a prayer-meeting into a trance or cataleptic fit , which lasted for an hour . Among the members of his church there was one young man , named William Dane , with whom he lived in close friendship ; and it seemed to the unsuspecting Silas that the friendship suffered no chill , even after he had formed a closer attachment , and had become engaged to a young servant-woman . At this time the senior deacon was taken dangerously ill , and Silas and William , with others of the brethren , took turns at night-watching . On the night the old man died , Silas fell into one of his trances , and when he awoke at four o'clock in the morning death had come , and , further , a little bag of money had been stolen from the deacon 's bureau , and Silas 's pocket-knife was found inside the bureau . For some time Silas was mute with astonishment , then he said , `` God will clear me ; I know nothing about the knife being there , or the money being gone . Search me and my dwelling . '' The search was made , and it ended in William Dane finding the deacon 's bag , empty , tucked behind the chest of drawers in Silas 's chamber .