midnight
Did he send one thought to her , so far away , so desolate ? Did he have in any least degree the desire , the yearning , for her that she had for him ? Tillie felt a pang of remorse for her disloyalty to Miss Margaret when she realized that she had almost forgotten that always precious letter . When , a little past midnight , she took it from her dress pocket she noticed what had before escaped her -- some erratic writing in lead on the back of the envelop . It was in the doctor 's strenuous hand . `` Willyam Pens as good as yoorn ive got them all promist but your pop to wote for you at the bored meating saterdy its to be a surprize party for your pop . '' At half-past seven o'clock on Saturday evening , the School Board once more convened in the hotel parlor , for the purpose of electing Fairchilds 's successor .