nearly
eight o'clock
He felt the burden of the community 's sin in the matter , and more than once he felt obliged to come in from his parish work and go up into his study there to commune with his Father . He was growing old very fast in these first few weeks in his new parish . Tuesday evening of that week Philip had been writing a little while in his study , where he had gone immediately after supper . It was nearly eight o'clock when he happened to remember that he had promised a sick child in the home of one of his parishioners that he would come and see him that very day . He came downstairs , put on his hat and overcoat , and told his wife where he was going . `` It 's not far . I shall be back in about half an hour , Sarah . ''