four o'clock
It was very curious ; for somewhere in me vague misgivings stirred . What if -- ! The morrow brought the painful solution of my uncertainties . For toward four o'clock of the afternoon there was a roaring of automobiles in the drive which brought me to the study window , from which vantage point I saw Jerry dismounting from the car in front with three other men , Flynn , Christopher and a large colored man , while from the other car , a hired machine , by the look of it , four other figures descended -- all unloading suit-cases upon the terrace steps -- a motley crowd in flannel shirts and sweaters , with cropped heads , thick necks and red hands , all talking loudly and staring up at the towers of the house as though they expected them to fall on them . This then was Jerry 's house-party -- ! Thugs , cut-throats , apaches -- his pugilist friends from Flynn 's ! -LSB- Illustration : `` This then was Jerry 's house-party -- ! '' -RSB-