three o'clock
in the morning
So now you have the whole story , and it 's up to you to decide . Maybe you think I 've got a lot of crust to propose this , and maybe you wo n't see it this way , but I 've had the nerve because Stephen Marshall 's life and Stephen Marshall 's death have made me believe in Stephen Marshall 's Christ and Stephen Marshall 's mother . I am , very respectfully , PAUL COURTLAND . He mailed the letter that night and then studied hard till three o'clock in the morning . The next morning 's mail brought him a dainty little note from Gila 's mother , inviting him to a quiet family dinner with them on Friday evening . He frowned when he read it . He did n't care for the large , painted person , but perhaps there was more good in her than he knew .