nine o'clock
I was called away , and left the room for about ten minutes , or a quarter of an hour . When I returned , I found to my astonishment that the money was gone . I searched everywhere , and it had certainly not fallen on to the floor , nor was it amongst my papers ; so I can only conclude that someone must have come in and taken it . I have made careful enquiries as to who was seen near my study last night , and I hear that you climbed up the lime tree and entered the room by the window shortly before nine o'clock . Is that so ? '' `` Yes , Miss Maitland , '' replied Honor , without any hesitation . `` I did come in , but I only stayed a minute .