about midnight
`` I was distracted to find that my letters had disappeared , though I was thankful for Raoul 's sake , to have the necklace . Mr. Dundas believed that his own leather case with the letters must have been stolen from his pocket in the train , though he could n't imagine why the diamonds had been given to him instead . But he suspected a travelling companion of his , who had acted queerly ; and he determined to try and find the man . He was to bring me news after the theatre at my house , about midnight . `` He came fifteen minutes later , having been detained at his hotel . Friends of his had unexpectedly arrived . He had just time to tell me this , and that after going out on a false scent he had employed a detective named Girard , when Monsieur du Laurier arrived unexpectedly .