ten minutes past twelve
A moment ago their way had seemed fairly clear to its members , and they had been inwardly congratulating themselves that they were relieved from the grim necessity of passing sentence upon a brother officer esteemed by all who knew him . But now a subtle change had crept in . The statement drawn by Sir Terence from the sentry appeared flatly to contradict Captain Tremayne 's own account of his movements on the night in question . `` You told the court , '' O'Moy addressed the witness Mullins , consulting his notes as he did so , `` that on the night on which Count Samoval met his death , I sent you at ten minutes past twelve to take a letter to the sergeant of the guard , an urgent letter which was to be forwarded to its destination first thing on the following morning . And it was in fact in the course of going upon this errand that you discovered the prisoner kneeling beside the body of Count Samoval . This is correct , is it not ? '' `` It is , sir . ''