four o'clock in the afternoon
Maybe I 'll see you later . '' And away he went , less virtuous than nature intended him to be , but wholly satisfied that he possessed a conscience , after all . The Colonel , grim and furtive , accompanied Roberta to the station and saw her safely off . By three or four o'clock in the afternoon he began to feel reasonably certain that Jenison had failed in his attempt to secure a warrant , or had been turned from his purpose by that cool-headed , far-seeing woman , Mary Braddock . He remained in his rooms , disdaining flight or subterfuge . All through the long , hot afternoon , he paced the floor or sat in the windows , nervously awaiting the descent of the officers . They did not come .