a quarter to seven
The thought of what would happen should another of the Frith Streeters be pinched before he , Mr. Buffin , could prove himself innocent of the crime of friendliness with Officer Keating , turned him cold . Fate played into his hands . On the very next morning Mr. Keating , all unsuspecting , asked him to go to his home with a message for his wife . `` Tell her , '' said Mr. Keating , `` a newspaper gent has given me seats for the play to-night , and I 'll be home at a quarter to seven . '' Mr. Buffin felt as Cromwell must have felt at Dunbar when the Scots left their stronghold on the hills and came down to the open plain . The winter had set in with some severity that year , and Mr. Buffin 's toes , as he stood in the shadows close to the entrance of the villa where Officer Keating lived when off duty , were soon thoroughly frozen . He did not dare to stamp his feet , for at any moment now the victim might arrive .