three in the
morning
`` What ? '' `` If you 'll listen , I can explain -- '' `` Explain ! '' The other 's voice rose again . `` You talk about explaining , you scum , when I caught you in my own parlor at three in the morning -- you -- '' The smile faded from Jimmy 's face . `` Half a minute , '' he said . It might be that the ideal course would be to let the storm expend itself , and then to explain quietly the whole matter of Arthur Mifflin and the bet that had led to his one excursion into burglary ; but he doubted it . Things -- including his temper -- had got beyond the stage of quiet explanations .