midnight
Paul Harley became aware of an awakening curiosity . Sir Charles Abingdon was not the type of man who is lightly intimidated . `` I had been to visit a friend in the neighbourhood , '' Sir Charles continued , `` whom I am at present attending professionally , although I am actually retired . I was returning across the square , close to midnight , when , fortunately for myself , I detected the sound of light , pattering footsteps immediately behind me . The place was quite deserted at that hour , and although I was so near home , the worst would have happened , I fear , if my sense of hearing had been less acute . I turned in the very instant that a man was about to spring upon me from behind . He was holding in his hand what looked like a large silk handkerchief .