midnight
The night chill crept over him ; the tears froze on his cheeks . He thought of Dan and Jane and the life he had lived , and love froze in his heart . And then , alone in the snow-drift , dying , he hated Dan , he hated Jane , he hated all the world and hated God , and waited , with the fear of a lost soul , the outer darkness that was coming -- coming nearer and nearer . * * * * * They found him there , numb and unconscious , long after midnight , Hans and Tony , Malden 's men , who had searched for him . * * * * * The snow had melted on the hill-tops and the flowers were peeping above the earth , when Job threw aside his crutches and whistled to Shot that the time had come for another quail hunt . `` It 's the biggest thing out -- beats a horse-race ! My !