a few minutes
before two o'clock
The Anglo-Indian sat in his private sitting-room at the George Hotel , writing , and examining his papers -- perpetually writing , perpetually sorting and re-sorting those packets of letters in the despatch-box -- while he waited for the coming of Mr. Balderby . The postponement of the coroner 's inquest was a very good thing for the landlord of the Foresters ' Arms . People went in and out , and loitered about the premises , and lounged in the bar , drinking and talking all the morning , and the theme of every conversation was the murder that had been done in the grove on the way to St. Cross . Mr. Balderby and Arthur Lovell arrived at the George a few minutes before two o'clock . They were shown at once into the apartment in which Henry Dunbar sat waiting for them . Arthur Lovell had been thinking of Laura and Laura 's father throughout the journey from London . He had wondered , as he got nearer and nearer to Winchester , what would be his first impression respecting Mr. Dunbar .