four o'clock
M'Donough briefly stated the few particulars which had been arranged . The parties were to meet at the stand-house , in the race-ground , which lay at about an equal distance between Castle Connor and the town of T -- . The hour appointed was half-past five on the next morning , at which time the twilight would be sufficiently advanced to afford a distinct view ; and the weapons to be employed were PISTOLS -- M'Creagh having claimed , on the part of his friend , all the advantages of the CHALLENGED party , and having , consequently , insisted upon the choice of ` TOOLS , ' as he expressed himself ; and it was further stipulated that the utmost secrecy should be observed , as Fitzgerald would incur great risk from the violence of the peasantry , in case the affair took wind . These conditions were , of course , agreed upon by O'Connor , and M'Donough left the castle , having appointed four o'clock upon the next morning as the hour of his return , by which time it would be his business to provide everything necessary for the meeting . On his departure , O'Connor requested me to remain with him upon that evening , saying that ` he could not bear to be alone with his mother . ' It was to me a most painful request , but at the same time one which I could not think of refusing . I felt , however , that the difficulty at least of the task which I had to perform would be in some measure mitigated by the arrival of two relations of O'Connor upon that evening .