six o'clock
This last leave was a trying experience . He might never come back , might never see Joanna 's handsome face again , and , after all , no one would care so much if he were killed as Joanna . And so they hung over the gate long after her father had gone to bed , and finally when Trooper tore himself away , he whispered , `` Now , not a minute later than four o'clock , '' and Joanna answered , `` Do you suppose I could forget ? '' Mark Falls always rose at six o'clock , called his daughter and went into the blacksmith shop returning at seven for his breakfast . He followed the usual rule the next morning but when he returned , Joanna had no breakfast ready for him . There was a cold lunch set out on the table but there was no fire in the kitchen stove and no tea made . He was a rather cross-grained man but he knew it was never safe to antagonise his daughter and so he called rather mildly up-stairs , `` Hi , there Joan , you ai n't sick are you ? ''