About nine o'clock
They did so , and presented themselves at Ezra Cohen 's establishment soon after the store was opened for business that morning . The merchant was already there , awaiting them , and received the two gentlemen in his private office , where they held a confidential conversation regarding the matter in hand . The expert was quite confident , after listening to Mr. Cohen 's description of the diamonds , that they would prove to be the ones they were seeking , but the detective was not quite so hopeful ; he had been disappointed so many times of late that he looked upon the dark side , while he was somewhat skeptical about the supposed miner making his appearance again . About nine o'clock , however , the man swaggered into the store , an enormous quid of tobacco inside his cheek . '' _ He _ has never been in Australia , '' said Detective Rider , in a low tone , but with sudden energy , as he and his companion watched him approach the counter , where Mr. Cohen was quietly examining a case of watches . `` Wall , '' he remarked , in his broad , drawling tone , `` got yer expert on hand this mornin ' ? I 'd like to close up this ` ere business before I go up to Brownsville . ''