four o'clock
`` Poker without whisky is bad , '' he muttered as he made his way back to the bar , `` but poker and whisky together can only be the beginning of the end . We 'll see . Poor old John ! '' It was on the stroke of four o'clock when Bunning-Ford left the saloon . He had said that he would be at the ranch at four , and usually he liked to be punctual . He was late now , however , and made no effort to make up time . Instead , he allowed his horse to walk leisurely in the direction of the Allandales ' house .