about three o'clock
On these occasions his wife commonly accompanied him and passed much of her time at the house of her friend , Mrs. Hardshaw , always with her two children , of whom Mrs. Hardshaw , childless herself , grew fond . Unluckily , her husband grew equally fond of their mother -- a good deal fonder . Still more unluckily , that attractive lady was less wise than weak . At about three o'clock one autumn morning Officer No. 13 of the Sacramento police saw a man stealthily leaving the rear entrance of a gentleman 's residence and promptly arrested him . The man -- who wore a slouch hat and shaggy overcoat -- offered the policeman one hundred , then five hundred , then one thousand dollars to be released . As he had less than the first mentioned sum on his person the officer treated his proposal with virtuous contempt . Before reaching the station the prisoner agreed to give him a check for ten thousand dollars and remain ironed in the willows along the river bank until it should be paid .