nearly midnight
He had promised -- in return for her confidence this night -- to leave unpunished those whom she wished to shield . He would take back that promise . Before she revealed anything to him he would warn her that he was determined to discover those who had twice sought to kill him . It was nearly midnight when he looked at his watch again . Was it possible that Meleese would not come ? He could not bring himself to believe that she knew of his imprisonment in the coyote -- of this second attempt on his life . And yet -- if she did -- He rose from the log and began pacing quickly back and forth in the gloom , his thoughts racing through his brain with increasing apprehension .