about ten o'clock
His name was Durnford ; and he was a man of strongly-marked individuality -- a godly , earnest , shrewd , and somewhat eccentric , minister of the Gospel . He was always accessible to his people in their trouble or perplexity , and they came to him without reserve . But surely his advice had never been sought concerning difficulties so peculiar as those which were about to be laid before him by `` Cobbler '' Horn ! It was about ten o'clock on the Monday morning following his visit to the lawyers , that `` Cobbler '' Horn sat in Mr. Durnford 's study , waiting for the minister to appear . He had not long to wait . The door opened , and Mr. Durnford entered . He was a middle-aged man of medium height , with keen yet kindly features , and hair and beard of iron grey .