As the hour approached, the messages became more furtive.
As the hour approaches 11, Comar grows more nervous.
As the hour approached, the word came that he had quit.
As the hour approaches, Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, comes on to decry the privatisation of the Royal Mail.
With Lionel Messi's goal cancelled out by a Sergio Busquets own goal they still led as the hour approached.
As the hour approached, and the minutes became seconds, the countdown of numbers, hitherto confined to a corner of the screen, suddenly filled it.
The meeting was supposed to end at 7 p.m., and as the hour approached, Mr. Savage, the barber, began loudly counting down the time.
As the hour approached, peers and press filed into the upper house, a few craning expectantly towards the benches, just to check.
The cruel enemy is making his last efforts, and already the hour approaches when our glorious army, together with our gallant allies, will crush him.
As the hour approached for the opening whistle of the Euro 2012 soccer tournament on Friday, it was mostly discord that was in evidence.
"As the hour approached, we anxiously watched as catered food was brought in from a tony delicatessen: Champagne, fancy cutlery, dim sum, the works," Ms. LaFemina wrote.
