eleven o'clock
Then he would tell the whole story of his marriage and its failure sparing himself no humiliation . `` There was something very dear and beautiful in my Ellen and I must make Mary understand that . It will help her to be a beautiful woman , '' he thought , full of confidence in the strength of his resolution . He got to the door of the livery barn at eleven o'clock and Barney Smithfield with young Duke Yetter and two other men sat talking there . The liveryman took his horse away into the darkness of the barn and the doctor stood for a moment leaning against the wall of the building . The town 's night watchman stood with the group by the barn door and a quarrel broke out between him and Duke Yetter , but the doctor did not hear the hot words that flew back and forth or Duke 's loud laughter at the night watchman 's anger . A queer hesitating mood had taken possession of him .