midnight
The tears blinded him that morning when he said Mass in his own chapel at the Vatican for the soul of Father Denfili . At the hour of the requiem he looked longingly toward Via Paoli , where his old spiritual father was lying dead before the altar of the cloister chapel ; and the tears came again into eyes that needed all their vision to gaze far out , from his watch-tower , on the City and the World . THE FLAMING CROSS It was already midnight when Orville , Thornton and Callovan arose from a table of the club dining-room and came down in the elevator for their hats and coats . They had spent an evening together , delightful to all three . This dinner and chat had become an annual affair , to give the old chums of St. Wilbur 's a chance to live over college days , and keep a fine friendship bright and lasting . Not one of them was old enough to feel much change from the spirit of youth .