one o'clock
Some time after , Mr. Otis was awakened by a curious noise in the corridor , outside his room . It sounded like the clank of metal , and seemed to be coming nearer every moment . He got up at once , struck a match , and looked at the time . It was exactly one o'clock . He was quite calm , and felt his pulse , which was not at all feverish . The strange noise still continued , and with it he heard distinctly the sound of footsteps . He put on his slippers , took a small oblong phial out of his dressing-case , and opened the door .