midnight
I could have prevented it , maybe , if I had n't been so taken up with my own affairs . Old Peppajee told me Baumberger was up to some devilment when he first came down here . He heard him talking to Saunders in Pete Hamilton 's stable . And the first night he was here , Peppajee and I saw him down at the stable at midnight , talking to someone . Peppajee kept on his trail till he got that snake bite , and he warned me a plenty . But I did n't take much stock in it -- or if I did -- '' He lifted his shoulders expressively . `` So , '' he went on , after a minute of bitter thinking , `` I want you to keep out of this .