midnight
You see , Miss Weems , '' he continued , speaking over Harold 's shoulder , `` my niggers are plaguy troublesome , and I keep the hound to cow them down a trifle . But he would n't hurt a lady , I think -- unless I happened to encourage him a bit , do you see . '' And the man showed his black teeth with a grin that caused Oriana to shudder and turn away . Harold 's brow was like a thunder-cloud , from beneath which his eyes flashed like the lightning at midnight . `` Your words imply a threat which I can not understand . Ruffian ! What do mean ? ''