about nine o’clock
The dumb man nodded and slouched slowly back into the hotel . Villiers stood out in the blazing sunshine , thinking . ` She 's got the nugget with her in the trap , ' he said to himself ; ` and she 's taken it to show Marchurst . Well , she 's sure to stop there to tea , and wo n't start for home till about nine o'clock : it will be pretty dark by then . She 'll be by herself , and if I -- ' here he stopped and looked round cautiously , and then , without another word , set off down the street at a run . The fact was , Mr Villiers had come to the conclusion that as his wife would not give him money willingly , the best thing to be done would be to take it by force , and accordingly he had made up his mind to rob her of the nugget that night if possible . Of course there was a risk , for he knew his wife was a determined woman ; still , while she was driving in the darkness down the hill , if he took her by surprise he would be able to stun her with a blow and get possession of the nugget .