six o'clock
Like the Mosby turnout -- very . And that very morning he had been at his desk , drugged , overwhelmed with the hopelessness of monotony . He passed on to the other side of town , keeping to the back streets , for he did not wish to meet any one or talk to any one . It was nearing six o'clock as he approached the gate of Zeke Thompson 's cabin , and there was that golden glow in the sky which so often follows a spell of dampness . It had rained the night before -- the road looked dark and cool -- and about the western sky the clouds were hovering as if undecided . But the sunlight streamed bravely through and all was fresh and clean and cool . The front door was open and as Joe passed through the gate he saw no one .