eight o'clock
`` There 's just one more thing to be settled , '' observed Dr. Jefferson Craig . `` While we are settling things , suppose we attend to that . '' He stood upon the hearthrug before the fire in his library , elbow on chimney piece , looking down upon his two guests . It was eight o'clock of the evening following that upon which Mr. David Warne and Georgiana had arrived at the big New York house in the old-time , downtown square . Although they had been under the hospitable roof for more than twenty-four hours it was the first occasion on which the three had been together for more than a few minutes at a time . On the previous evening in an upstairs room had been enacted a little scene which would live forever in the memories of them all ; but Doctor Craig , perceiving with trained eyes the signs of growing fatigue in his frail friend after the unwonted strain of the day and its necessarily emotional climax , had gently but firmly insisted on withdrawing at an early hour . Georgiana had remained with her father , herself content to have the strange and wonderful day end in the old , simple , and natural way in which her days had ended for so long .