midnight
He was thoroughly convinced of the guilt of Stephen Roland , and wondered why he had allowed his mind to wander off the topic and waste time with other suspicions , for which he now saw there was no real excuse . He had not the time , he felt , to investigate the subject personally , but he flattered himself he knew exactly the man to put on Roland 's track , and , instead of going himself to Chicago , he sent off the following despatch : -- `` Meet me to-morrow morning , without fail , at the Gibson House . Answer . '' Before midnight he had his answer , and next morning he met a man in whom he had the most implicit confidence , and who had , as he said , the rare and valuable gift of keeping his mouth shut . `` You see this portrait ? '' Stratton said , handing to the other a photograph of Stephen Roland . `` Now , I do not know how many hundred chemist shops there are in Cincinnati , but I want you to get a list of them , and you must not omit the most obscure shop in town .