twelve
o'clock
`` I do not know . He would prevent it now if he could only see the man . Forde , so far as I can understand , is a person who , being mentally short-sighted , can only see to twelve o'clock the next day . If twelve o'clock can by hook or crook be reached , he thinks twelve o'clock the following day is possible likewise . This is the sort of life he seems to have been forcing on Mortomley -- helping him at the last gasp to pay out the sheriff , and suggesting all sorts of ridiculous plans to enable him to float a little longer . Even according to the showing of his friend Kleinwort Forde must be a perfect fool . '' `` His friend Kleinwort did not happen to show you anything else he was ? ''