about midnight
A minute later certain wakeful ears were startled by a moaning cry for aid . Just what happened , and how it happened , within the minute , led to conflicting stories on the morrow . First man examined by Major Plume was Lieutenant Truman of the Infantry , who happened to be officer of the day . He had been over at Blakely 's about midnight , he said ; had found the patient sleeping under the influence of soothing medicine , and , after a whispered word with Todd , the hospital attendant , had tiptoed out again , encountering Downs , the lieutenant 's striker , in the darkness on the rear porch . Downs said he was that excited he could n't sleep at all , and Mr. Truman had come to the conclusion that Downs 's excitement was due , in large part , to local influences totally disconnected with the affairs of the early evening . Downs was an Irishman who loved the `` craytur , '' and had been known to resort to unconventional methods of getting it . At twelve o'clock , said Mr. Truman , the striker had obviously been priming .