about five o'clock in the afternoon
-- I do n't know whether it will be possible . '' Mr. Carleton had his own private opinion on that point . He merely promised to be there again in a few hours and took his leave . He came , with his mother , about five o'clock in the afternoon . They were shewn this time into the kitchen , where they found two or three neighbours and friends with aunt Miriam and Cynthy . The former received them with the same calm simplicity that Mr. Carleton had admired in the morning , but said she was afraid their coming would be in vain ; she had talked with Fleda about the proposed plan and could not get her to listen to it . She doubted whether it would be possible to persuade her .