five o'clock
The senior officer forgets his seniority ; the most dignified lets fall the cloak of dignity for a few exhilarating hours . Colonel Buchanan himself entered with zest into the maddest innovations which Desmond or Olliver could devise ; and those who knew Paul Wyndham , in his normal habit as he lived , would scarce have recognised him masquerading as Desmond 's polo pony , in a inter-regimental match played with billiard balls , brother officers doing duty for mounts and cues for polo-sticks . It was all excellent fooling ; and the bar of grey in the east came far too soon . Close on five o'clock Desmond re-entered the bungalow ; his scarlet kummerbund disordered ; his white mess-jacket in a hundred creases ; yet alert and ready in every fibre for the day 's march that lay before him . The grey twilight of dawn was already creeping in through the skylights and long glass doors , as he passed through the drawing-room into his study . Here he came to a standstill with a low exclamation of surprise . On his cane deck-lounge Evelyn lay fast asleep , her face so turned upon the cushion that its delicate profile showed clear as a cameo against a background of dull blue .