midnight
They expected Norman about seven , but something detained him , and it was after nine when Faith and Jamie were heard on the hill . They were laughing and talking noisily , and Christine ran to meet , and to silence them . The sick man was growing rapidly worse , and there was no sign of the Domine and the doctor . Indeed it was near midnight when they arrived , and by this time Ruleson was unconscious . Those who know anything of pneumonia will understand the hard , cruel fight that a man in the perfect health and strength of James Ruleson made for his life . Every step of the disease was contested , and it was only when his wonderful resistance gave out , and his strength failed him , that the doctor and the Domine lost hope . At length , one sunny afternoon , the Domine drew up the window shade , and let the light fall on the still , white face for a minute .