a quarter to four
He had had no dream , the voice had come to him from her , a summons from the depths of some dire necessity . He knew it as well as if he had heard her say so , as if she _ had _ been outside the window calling him to come . He knew she was beset , needed him , that her soul had cried to his and in its passionate urgency had broken through material limitations . He struck a match and consulted his watch -- a quarter to four . Then , as he dressed and threw some clothes into a bag , he thought over the quickest route to the city . A stage line to Stockton crossed the valley eight miles to the south . By making a rapid hike he could catch the down stage and be in San Francisco before midday .