about ten o'clock
The name of Maud Applegate Blithers was appended to the statement , and it was dated Paris , August 29 . Thereafter followed a lengthy description of the futile search for the young lady in Paris , and an interview with the local representatives of Mr. Blithers , all of whom declared that the signature was genuine , but refused to commit themselves further without consulting their employer . They could throw no light upon the situation , even going so far as to declare that they were unaware of the presence of Miss Blithers in Paris . It appears that the signed statement was left in the counting-rooms of the various newspapers by a heavily veiled lady at an hour agreed upon as `` about ten o'clock . '' There was absolutely no clue to the identity of this woman . Instead of following the suggestion of Miss Blithers that `` sufficient pain and annoyance already had been caused , '' the journalists proceeded to increase the agony by venturing the hope that fresh developments would materialise before the day was done . `` Well , she appears to be here , '' said Robin , as he laid down the last of the three journals and stared at Dank as if expecting hope from that most unreliable source .