eight o'clock
From the great affection of the little huckster for Marian , it was likely that he would have a vivid recollection of the child ; and no doubt the little man had already discerned what the father himself was only now , after so many hints , beginning to perceive . Thus he pondered through the night . Strange to say , he felt neither sleepy nor tired . He was refreshed by the gracious prophecy of coming joy which the story of his young secretary had supplied ; and when , after falling asleep in the early hours of the morning , he awoke towards eight o'clock , he felt as though he had slept all night . It was the custom for the young secretary to pay a visit to her employer 's room soon after breakfast , for the purpose of laying before him any of the morning 's letters to which it was imperative that his personal attention should be given . Most frequently Miss Owen 's visit was , as far as business was concerned , a mere formality , or little more . There were few of the letters with which she herself was not able to deal ; and all that was necessary , as a rule , was for her to make a general report , which `` Cobbler '' Horn invariably received with an approving smile .