About ten o'clock in the morning
Alice remained in bed , and the maid left without notice , in such a hurry that she forgot to take her best clothes . Mr. Clayton himself remained at home . He had a telephone in the house , and was therefore in easy communication with his office , so that the business did not suffer materially by reason of his absence from the store . About ten o'clock in the morning a note came up from the hotel , expressing Mr. Brown 's regrets and sympathy . Toward noon Mr. Clayton picked up the morning paper , which he had not theretofore had time to read , and was glancing over it casually , when his eye fell upon a column headed `` A Colored Congressman . '' He read the article with astonishment that rapidly turned to chagrin and dismay . It was an interview describing the Congressman as a tall and shapely man , about thirty-five years old , with an olive complexion not noticeably darker than many a white man 's , straight hair , and eyes as black as sloes .