six o'clock
A moment later she was alone . She had barred the outer doors , when he left . Neither George Bullen , or the `` Lebanon Rose , '' whom he had so opportunely saved , had had any idea of how rapidly time had fled during that afternoon . On reaching the street , and looking at his watch , George was amazed to find that it was past six o'clock . Moving as briskly as it was wise to do , so as not to call attention to himself , he made his way to where the noise of the multitude told him that something extra was happening . He soon discovered that the excitement came from a kind of impromptu mass meeting that had followed upon the appearance of Apleon riding on his now celebrated black charger . The first thing which struck Bullen was the fact that , already , every one seemed to be wearing the `` Covenant '' sign -- `` The Mark of the Beast . ''