seven o'clock
I 've seen blind men tell the time by feeling the dial . '' His watch was an old hunting-case which had belonged to his father . He opened it and cracked the crystal with his pocket-knife . As nearly as he could determine by the sense of touch , it was seven o'clock . Bessie Wallingham would be wondering by this time why he had broken an engagement with her for the second time that day . `` There is one thing more to do , '' he said . `` It is seven o'clock ; I do n't know how much longer we shall be able to breathe easily , and I am going to write a note which will explain matters to the persons who find us -- if we should not happen to be able to tell them . ''