four o'clock
Who on earth could this be ? Certainly not Piper 's wife . A feeling of intense relief came over her when the strange-looking woman came towards her with a soft , gliding step , and handed her a card on which was written : Madame Flora Ladies ' wardrobes , gold teeth , and old jewellery purchased at the highest prices known in the trade `` I do ` ope you will excuse me coming up like this , '' she said again , and her queer Cockney voice sounded quite pleasantly in Enid Crofton 's ears . `` I 've not got very long , and I 've been ` ere since four o'clock . '' As she spoke she did not look at the pretty young lady sitting by the fire . Her dark eyes were glancing furtively round the attractively furnished bedroom , as if appraising everything that was there , from the uncommon-looking high brass candlesticks on the dressing-table to the pink silk covered eiderdown and drawn linen coverlid on the bed . Perhaps because she was so extraordinarily relieved , Enid Crofton spoke to this somewhat impudent old-clothes woman very graciously .