seven o'clock in the evening
Saving this speech , made in irritation at some omission on Sam 's part , nothing was adduced to show that Leonard was likely to have been employed without his cousin 's knowledge ; though Hardy volunteered the addition that Mr. Ward was always respectful and attentive , and that his uncle had lately thought much more of him than at first . Rebekah Giles gave her account of the scene in the sitting-room . She had been in the service of the deceased for the last four years , and before in that of his sister-in-law , Mr. Samuel 's mother . She had herself closed the passage window at seven o'clock in the evening , as usual . She had several times previously found it partly open in the morning , after having thus shut it over-night ; but never before , Mr. Ward 's bed unslept in . Her last interview with Mr. Axworthy was then narrated , with his words -- an imprecation against rifle practice , as an excuse for idle young rascals to be always out of the way . Then followed her communication to the prisoner at half-past nine , when she saw him go into the parlour , in his volunteer uniform , rifle in hand , heard him turn the lock of the sitting-room door , and then herself retired to bed .