noon
Twice he had telephoned to her . On one of these high occasions she had invited him to accompany the family to the theater -- which meant to the movies -- and he had wretchedly refused ; the other time she had said that she might stay in Seattle all winter , and she might go any day , and they `` must be sure to have that good long walk '' ; and he had said `` oh yes , '' ten or twelve unhappy times , and had felt very empty as he hung up the receiver . Then she wrote to invite him to late Sunday breakfast at the Gilsons ' -- they made a function of it , and called it bruncheon . The hour was given as ten-thirty ; most people came at noon ; but Milt arrived at ten-thirty-one , and found only a sleepy butler in sight . He waited in the drawing-room for five minutes , feeling like a bill-collector . Into the room vaulted a medium-sized , medium-looking , amiable man , Eugene Gilson , babbling , `` Oh , I say , so sorry to keep you waiting , Mr. Daggett . Rotten shame , do come have a bun or something , frightfully informal these bruncheons , play auction ? ''