three o'clock
Would he ever be allowed to get in a word edgewise ? Was there ever anything so absurd , so disconcerting ? He looked forward gloomily to a dull afternoon , in quest of fat cattle , with a car-full of unknown Canadians . At three o'clock , in the wide Winnipeg station , there gathered on the platform beside Lady Merton 's car a merry and motley group of people . A Chief Justice from Alberta , one of the Senators for Manitoba , a rich lumberman from British Columbia , a Toronto manufacturer -- owner of the model farm which the party was to inspect , two or three ladies , among them a little English girl with fine eyes , whom Philip Gaddesden at once marked for approval ; and a tall , dark-complexioned man with hollow cheeks , large ears , and a long chin , who was introduced , with particular emphasis , to Elizabeth by Anderson , as `` Mr. Félix Mariette '' -- Member of Parliament , apparently , for some constituency in the Province of Quebec . The small crowd of persons collected , all eminent in the Canadian world , and some beyond it , examined their hostess of the afternoon with a kindly amusement . Elizabeth had sent round letters ; Anderson , who was well known , it appeared , in Winnipeg , had done a good deal of telephoning .