ten minutes before two o'clock
I have always had the best o ' good luck , and I 'll pass it on to you . ' `` Sale was a good talker , and carried everything before him . Now and then I managed to slip in a word or two in feeble protest , but he swept away all my objections with the same easy movement that he chased off the flies from his face . `` When I looked at my watch it was ten minutes before two o'clock . Sale was going out into the hot street , jubilant , and I was the more than probable nominee of the Democratic party of the -- th district for Congress ! I knew that Sale would make good his word ; and , having given it , I would stick to mine . But my tempter out of the way , I writhed and groaned under my folly and weakness .