eleven o'clock
You have n't been a bit like yourself lately , and I know that it 's all on account of that Henry Hammond , the old snake . '' `` You will oblige me greatly , Eva , by referring more respectfully to my friend , Mr. Hammond , '' said Marian with offended dignity . Then she sailed out of the room , her train dragging half a yard behind her , while Eva turned to the mirror with a contemptuous sniff and powdered her little freckled nose almost savagely before following her irate roommate down stairs . The moment that dinner was over the judge was hustled into the library by Nora and Miriam , and informed by them that they constituted a committee of two to amuse him until eleven o'clock . He was their prisoner and they dared him to try to escape . Next to Grace , Nora , with her rosy cheeks and ready Irish wit was perhaps the judge 's favorite , while he had a profound admiration for stately Miriam ; so he was well satisfied with his captors , who triumphantly conducted him to the drawing room , where Miriam played and Nora sang Irish ballads with a delicious brogue that completely captivated the old gentleman . At eleven o'clock there was a great jingling of bells and into the room dashed Santa Claus , looking as fat and jolly as a story-book Kris Kringle .