nearly eleven o'clock
He went off , and the other two began a desultory conversation . It lagged , however , and soon they separated for the night . * * * * * Nobody in the Leonardo Studio apartments was an early riser . For that reason it was nearly eleven o'clock when Thorpe , his face very white , telephoned downstairs and asked the doorman to come up at once . When Hastings appeared he found Thorpe sitting on the edge of a chair in the studio in a state of agitation . `` Blair -- '' Thorpe said , speaking with difficulty . `` Mr. Blair , -- you know , -- he 's -- he 's very ill -- '' `` Ill , sir ?