three o'clock in the afternoon
asked Luke , eagerly . `` Certainly . I am busy just now , but this afternoon I will have the papers brought down to the reading-room . '' He was as good as his word , and at three o'clock in the afternoon Luke sat down before a formidable pile of papers , and began his task of examination . He began with the paper bearing date June 19 , and examined that and the succeeding papers with great care . At length his search was rewarded . In the paper for June 23 Luke discovered the name of James Harding , and , what was a little singular , he was registered at the Ottawa House .