six o'clock in the evening
Poor Susan , she hated nobody , she only hated to have to speak to a stranger , and to listen to a stranger ; and in her present grief all were strangers to her except him she had lost and her father . She avoided Meadows not because he was Meadows , but because she wanted to be alone . Meadows rode home despondently , then he fell to abusing his folly , and vowed he would think of her no more . The next day , finding himself , at six o'clock in the evening , seated by the fire in a reverie , he suddenly started fiercely up , saddled his horse , and rode into Newborough , and , putting up his horse , strolled about the streets and tried to amuse himself looking at the shops before they closed . Now it so happened that , stopping before a bookseller 's shop , he saw advertised a work upon `` The Australian Colonies . '' `` Confound Australia ! '' said Meadows to himself , and turned on his heel , but the next moment , with a sudden change of mind , he returned and bought the book .