nearly midnight
It was Law who finally discovered that they had somehow taken the wrong road . The fact that Alaire had failed to notice this gave him a sudden thrill . It aroused in his mind such a train of dizzy , drunken speculations that for some time following the discovery he jogged silently at his companion 's side . It was early dusk when they reached Las Palmas ; it was nearly midnight when Dave threw his leg across his saddle and started home . Alaire 's parting words rang sweetly in his ears : `` This has been the pleasantest day I can remember . '' The words themselves meant little , but Dave had caught a wistful undertone in the speaker 's voice , and fancied he had seen in her eyes a queer , half-frightened expression , as of one just awakened . José Sanchez had beheld Dave Law at the Las Palmas table twice within a few days .