a quarter after five
In the faint light , the letter lay a gray square against the drain-board tiles . With the melodramatic gesture of the very drunk , Miller had scrawled across the envelope : `` This is why I did it ! '' -LSB- Illustration : Dave Miller pushed with all his strength , but the girl was as unmovable as Gibraltar . -RSB- He had found Helen 's letter in the envelope when he staggered into their bedroom fifteen minutes ago -- at a quarter after five . As had frequently happened during the past year , he 'd come home from the store a little late ... about twelve hours late , in fact . And this time Helen had done what she had long threatened to do . She had left him .