nine o'clock
As a matter of fact , she disliked him as much as they did , although she , and any and every girl there , would really have been immensely pleased and flattered by his admiration , had he cared to bestow it . But George Brauer 's sea-blue eyes never rested for a second upon any Front Office girl with anything but annoyed responsibility . He kept his friendships severely remote from the walls of Hunter , Baxter & Hunter , and was suspected of social ambitions , and of distinguished , even noble connections in the Fatherland . This morning Miss Thornton and Mr. Brauer had had a conference , as the lady called it , immediately after his arrival at nine o'clock , and Miss Murray , who sat next to Miss Thornton , suspected that it had had something to do with her neighbor 's ill-temper . But Miss Thornton , delicately approached , had proved so ungracious and so uncommunicative , that Miss Murray had retired into herself , and attacked her work with unusual briskness . Next to friendly , insignificant little Miss Murray was Miss Cottle , a large , dark , morose girl , with untidy hair , and untidy clothes , and a bad complexion . Miss Cottle was unapproachable and insolent in her manner , from a sense of superiority .