four o'clock in the afternoon
Ben returned to the hotel , ate his lunch , and considered the situation . A lesser man would have given up the fight and hidden his bruise ; but Benjamin Blair was in no sense of the word a little man . He had come to town with definite intent of seeing a certain girl alone , and see her alone he would . At four o'clock in the afternoon he again pressed the button on the Baker door-post , and again waited . Again it was the maid who answered , and at the expected query she smiled outright . It seemed to her a capital joke that she was assisting in playing upon this man of unusual attire . `` Miss Baker is engaged , '' she announced , with the glibness of previous preparation .