nine o'clock
What if she should voluntarily break her silence ! Should he not send for her -- there was a sound at his door . North started to his feet only to see the fat round face of the deputy sheriff as he came bringing the morning 's hot coffee and thick buttered bread . The town bell was ringing for nine o'clock when the deputy sheriff again appeared to escort him into court , and as they entered the room North saw that it was packed to the doors . His appearance won a moment of oppressive silence , then came the shuffling of feet and the hum of whispered conversation . At the back of the room sat Marshall Langham . He was huddled up in a splint-bottomed chair a deputy had placed for him at one end of the last row of benches .