three o’clock
And again one day at rehearsal Miss Belmont ordered a brandy-and-soda , and Paul 's face clouded ; and Claudia was penitent , and Paul got more kisses for helping naughty Claudia to forget these man-like habits . The boy 's infatuation chimed in with a growing liking for the stage , and he volunteered to work there with so much ardour that Darco was newly pleased with him , and gave him ample opportunity . So he saw more and more of Claudia , and made some progress in his new craft , and the foolish game of love went on , until it brought about a crisis . It was three o'clock on Friday afternoon , and Paul was at the theatre , seated in the manager 's room , counting and putting into envelopes the weekly salaries of the company . He had just consigned the two crispest and cleanest of his small stock of five-pound notes and the brightest half-sovereign to an envelope bearing the name of Miss Claudia Belmont , when the lady herself tapped at the door and entered . ` I wanted to see you alone , Paul dear , ' she said , ` and so I came over early . I have a piece of news for you .