midnight
I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for satisfaction than his words alone would imply . His eyes twinkled , and there was even a touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks . He hastened upstairs , and a few minutes later I heard the slam of the hall door , which told me that he was off once more upon his congenial hunt . I waited until midnight , but there was no sign of his return , so I retired to my room . It was no uncommon thing for him to be away for days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent , so that his lateness caused me no surprise . I do not know at what hour he came in , but when I came down to breakfast in the morning there he was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the other , as fresh and trim as possible . `` You will excuse my beginning without you , Watson , '' said he , `` but you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this morning . ''