midnight
she cried , and signalled her driver to go on . As Carrington found that he would not reach Winchester till late , he telegraphed Mrs. Allingford that he would see her the next morning , and that he had received news of the whereabouts of her husband and Scarsdale 's wife , who were all right and would join them on the morrow . On his arrival he went straight to the hotel that Mrs. Allingford had designated in her telegram , to find that that lady had retired for the night , leaving , however , a note for him which contained full instructions , and stated in addition that she had received his telegram , for which she was profoundly grateful , and that he must not hesitate to wake her if , by so doing , he could cause her to rejoin her husband one instant sooner . As it was by this time close upon midnight , Carrington decided to let matters rest as they were till morning ; especially as he had before he slept to hunt up his brother at the barracks , and so insure his attendance at court the next day . This was easily arranged ; but the two men had much to talk over , and it was nearly daybreak when Jack set out to return to the hotel . The shortest way back was by a cross cut through the mysterious darkness of the cathedral close , within which he heard the voices of two men in heated dispute , the tone of the one shrill with rage , while those of the other proclaimed that he had been drinking . Carrington would have passed without noticing , so intent was he on his own affairs , had not a name which one of them pronounced arrested his attention and caused him to stop .