seven o'clock
`` Pray come in at once , Yorke , '' he said , throwing open the door of his private room with alacrity , as he held out a hand of welcome to his visitor . `` Did you rise early this morning ? I am ashamed to own how late I was , but the balls at De Lancey Place are promoters of sleep next day , I find . '' `` I can usually plead guilty to sleep , '' replied Yorke , throwing off his military cloak , and taking the chair which Gulian offered him , `` but I had to be stirring early to-day , for Sir Henry had pressing affairs , and I was at headquarters before seven o'clock . '' `` Did you take horse in pursuit of the spy last night ? '' asked Gulian , with somewhat heightened color . `` Not I , '' answered Yorke carelessly ; `` the poor devil had luck on his wide , or doubled marvelously well on his pursuers , for I am told that not a trace of him nor of his confederate , the little fiddler , did our men find .