About three o'clock
Then he went over to the roller and assisted the engineer in `` oiling up . '' Being a novice at the business , he managed to get his hands black with oil , and smeared a streak across one cheek , which , while it helped to obscure his identity , did not add to his facial beauty . He was blissfully unconscious of this . About three o'clock Bascom returned from his office , just as Maxwell was dismounting from the wagon after bringing a load . At first Bascom did not recognize the rector , but a second glance brought the awful truth home to his subliminal self , and he stopped and stared at Maxwell , stricken dumb . Maxwell politely touched his hat , and smilingly remarked that it was a fine day . Bascom made no reply at first .