nine o'clock
He carried the hamper up two flights of ramshackle stairs and set it inside the door she indicated . Then he unwillingly withdrew to the car , where he sat waiting -- and wondering . It was not long he had to wait , in point of time , but his impatience was growing upon him . All this was very well , and threw interesting lights upon a girl 's character , but -- it would be nine o'clock all too soon . To be sure , though Red Pepper bore him away , he knew the road back -- he could come back as soon as he pleased , with nobody to set hours of departure for him . But he did not mean to go away this first time without the thing he wanted , if it was to be his . She came running downstairs , face aglow with relief and pleasure , and sent the car smoothly away .