a quarter to four
Mrs. Yorba returned to her seat and helped herself to hot cakes . `` When Miss Montgomery and Miss Brannan were leaving last night , '' she said , `` they asked me to stop for them this afternoon , as they wished to persuade you that the Mark Smith place was exactly what you wanted , or something to that effect . So we shall stop for them . The char-à-banc will be at the door at a quarter to four . '' That was her last remark , as it had been her first , and some twenty minutes later the repast came to an end . Trennahan was again left to his own devices . He amused himself inspecting the stable , a most unpretentious structure , containing all that was absolutely indispensable and no more .