nine o'clock at night
It would have meant a completely fresh beginning , and temporary ruin . But he had gone to Ancrum . And Ancrum and he had bethought them of the rich Unitarian gentleman who had been David 's sponsor when he signed his agreement . There and then , at nine o'clock at night , Ancrum had gone off to Higher Broughton , where the good man lived , and laid the case before him . Mr. Doyle had taken the night to think it over , and the following morning he had paid a visit to his lawyer . ` He and his wife thought it a burning shame , he told Mr. Ancrum ; and , besides , he 's been buying up house property in Manchester for some time past , only we could n't know that -- that was just luck . He looked upon it as a good chance both for him and for me .