one o'clock
By the time the men had finished breakfast the jury and the reporters were at their work , and an awe-stricken group stood silently at the gate of the little brown cottage wherein death had set his seal during the watches of the night . It was in the back room of the first floor that the jury had assembled . There on the narrow bed lay the mortal remains of the officer whose death-cry had startled the garrison so short a time before . Men and women had spoken with bated breath , with dread and horror on their faces , with heavy load at heart , -- many had not slept at all , -- since the news flew round the garrison at one o'clock . It was shocking to think of Mr. Gleason as murdered , but that he should have been murdered in cold blood , without a word of altercation , and murdered by an officer of his own regiment , -- one so brave , so gifted , so popular as Ray , -- was simply horrible ; and yet -- who that heard the evidence being given , -- slowly , reluctantly , painfully -- before that jury could arrive at any other conclusion . Even before the jury came sentries with fixed bayonet were stationed at Ray 's bedroom door , and no one was allowed to go in or out except by order of the commanding officer . The colonel had not gone to bed since being aroused .