six o'clock
When I again returned to my sitting-room my mind had nearly recovered its usual tone , and I felt prepared to meet and to go through whatever might be before me with calmness and determination . As I was uncertain how long it might be before Lawless would arrive , I resolved , in order to avoid the horrors of suspense , to employ myself , and taking up the mathematical treatise upon which I was engaged , and by a vigorous effort of mind compelling my attention , I read steadily for about half an hour , at the end of which time the sound of hasty footsteps was heard ascending the stairs , and in another minute the door was flung open , and Lawless and Archer entered the apartment . `` Reading mathematics , as I 'm a slightly inebriated Christian ! '' exclaimed Archer , taking the book out of my hands ; `` well , if that is n't pretty cool for a man who may be going to be shot at six o'clock to-morrow morning , for anything he knows to the contrary , I 'm no judge of temperature . '' `` Oh ! bother mathematics , '' rejoined Lawless , flinging the book which Archer held out to him at a bust of Homer adorning the top of my bookshelves , which it fortunately missed -- `` Frank , old boy ! it 's all right -- you 're not to have a bullet through your lungs this time -- shake hands , old fellow !