Seven o'clock
But Mr. Dunbar seated himself upon a bench near the low doorway by which he had entered the cathedral , and looked at his watch . The verger looked at the watch too ; it was a hundred-guinea chronometer , a masterpiece of Benson 's workmanship ; and Mr. Dunbar 's arms were emblazoned upon the back . There was a locket attached to the massive gold chain , the locket which contained Laura Dunbar 's miniature . `` Seven o'clock , '' exclaimed the banker ; `` my servant ought to be here by this time . '' `` So he ought , sir , '' said the verger , who was ready to agree to anything Mr. Dunbar might say ; `` if he had only to go to the Ferns , sir , he might have been back by this time easy . '' `` I 'll smoke a cheroot while I wait for him , '' the banker said , passing out into the quadrangle ; `` he 's sure to come to this door to look for me -- I gave him particular orders to do so . '' Henry Dunbar finished his cheroot , and another , and the cathedral clock chimed the three-quarters after seven , but Joseph Wilmot had not come back from the Ferns .