one
o’clock
`` At eight o'clock , Mr. Fentolin , '' he answered . `` I can see that I must try to earn your better opinion . '' Hamel read steadily for the remainder of the morning . It was past one o'clock when he rose stiffly from his seat among the sand knolls and , strolling back to the Tower , opened the door and entered . The cloth was laid for luncheon in the little sitting-room , but there were no signs of Hannah Cox . He passed on into the kitchen and came to a sudden standstill . Once more the memory of his own work passed away from him .