Five o'clock
It happened on the second day after his talk with Braden . Mr. Thorpe 's plan involved other people as well as the two most vitally interested . There was to be a meeting at his house late in the afternoon for the purpose of signing the ante-nuptial contract already agreed upon . Five o'clock was the hour set for the gathering . Lawyers representing both parties were to be there , with Mrs. Tresslyn , George and Anne , and Mr. Thorpe 's private secretary , who , with Dr. Bates , was to serve as a witness to the instrument . At noon Wade delivered a letter to Miss Tresslyn in which Mr. Thorpe said that he would be pleased if she would accompany him to Tiffany 's for the purpose of selecting a string of pearls . He made it quite clear that she was to go alone with him , playfully mentioning his desire to be the only witness to her confusion when confronted by the `` obsequious salesman and his baubles from the sea . ''