midnight
But Truedale was unaware of what was going on about him . Pine Cone Settlement had , since the trap episode , been tense and waiting . Not many things occurred in the mountains and when they did they were made the most of . With significant silence the friends and foes of Burke Lawson were holding themselves in check until he returned to his old haunts ; then there would be considerable shooting -- not necessarily fatal , a midnight raid or two , a general rumpus , and eventually , a truce . All this Jim White knew , and it was the propelling factor that had sent him to the deep woods . His sentiments conflicted with duty . Guilty as Lawson was , the sheriff liked him better than he did Martin and he meant , should he come across Burke in `` the sticks , '' to take him off for a bear hunt and some good advice .