noon
Working at night after writing all day long was telling upon him , and he knew it . What with his work and his companionship with Blix , Condy soon began to drop out of his wonted place in his `` set . '' He was obliged to decline one invitation after another that would take him out in the evening , and instead of lunching at his club with Sargeant or George Hands , as he had been accustomed to do at one time , he fell into another habit of lunching with Blix at the flat on Washington Street , and spending the two hours allowed to him in the middle of the day in her company . Condy 's desertion of them was often spoken of by the men of his club with whom he had been at one time so intimate , and the subject happened to be brought up again one noon when Jack Carter was in the club as George Hands ' guest . Hands , Carter , and Eckert were at one of the windows over their after-dinner cigars and liqueurs . `` I say , '' said Eckert suddenly , `` who 's that girl across the street there -- the one in black , just going by that furrier 's sign ? I 've seen her somewhere before .