eight o'clock
By far the cheeriest epistles had come from Alice Greggory . They contained , indeed , about the only comfort Billy had known for weeks , for they showed very plainly to Billy that Arkwright 's heart had been caught on the rebound ; and that in Alice Greggory he was finding the sweetest sort of balm for his wounded feelings . From these letters Billy learned , too , that Judge Greggory 's honor had been wholly vindicated ; and , as Billy told Aunt Hannah , `` anybody could put two and two together and make four , now . '' It was eight o'clock on a rainy July evening that Billy and Aunt Hannah arrived at Hillside ; and it was only a little past eight that Aunt Hannah was summoned to the telephone . When she came back to Billy she was crying and wringing her hands . Billy sprang to her feet . `` Why , Aunt Hannah , what is it ?