About seven o'clock
`` Shall I find you at the hotel this evening ? '' `` Yes . '' `` Then I 'll see what I can do . '' About seven o'clock Squire Ray went out to attend to a business meeting , and Clarence was left in possession of the study . He locked the door and began to ransack his father 's desk . At length he succeeded in his quest . Benjamin Bolton was sitting in the public room of the hotel an hour later smoking a cigar , and from time to time looking towards the door .