About three o'clock
Sitting near one another they remained silent , restless-eyed , brooding above the battle-scarred world . As he rose to go he spoke once or twice to her with that haunting softness of voice which had begun to torture her ; but her replies were very brief ; and he said nothing more . At intervals during the afternoon orderlies came to the hill ; one or two general officers and their staffs arrived for brief consultations , and departed at a sharp gallop down hill . About three o'clock there came an unexpected roar of artillery from the Union left ; minute by minute the racket swelled as battery after battery joined in the din . Behind her the signal flags were fluttering wildly once more ; a priest , standing near her , turned nodding : `` Our boys will be going in before sundown , '' he said quietly . `` Are you Father Corby , chaplain of the Excelsiors ? '' `` Yes , madam . ''