nine o'clock
The Ranchero had determined upon a course of action which he knew he could not follow out so long as the dog was at liberty , and Marmion was , at that very moment , lying bound and muzzled under one of the corn-cribs , almost within hearing of his master 's voice . Frank slowly retraced his steps toward the house , feeling more nervous and uneasy than ever . In Marmion he had an ally that could be depended on in any emergency ; and , if the dog had been at his side , he would have felt perfectly safe . But he was not the one to indulge long in gloomy thoughts without a cause , and in order to drive them away , he lighted his lamp , and , drawing his easy-chair upon the porch , amused himself until nine o'clock with his guitar . The music not only served to soothe his troubled feelings , but also had the effect of banishing his suspicions to a great extent , and left him in a much more cheerful frame of mind . `` How foolish I have been , '' said he , to himself . `` Because Pierre is ugly , like all the rest of his race , and because he always carries a knife in his belt , and hates Marmion , I have been willing to believe him capable of any villainy .