one o'clock
Not a word of the great secret had he even written to another soul . To his trusted sister he had never before been quite so communicative . His conscience pricked him as he took his letter to the post , and he had it registered on no other score . On Saturday the bank closed at one o'clock ; the staff were to return and dine at seven , the Queen 's birthday falling on the same day for a sufficient pretext . As the hour approached Fergus made the distressing discovery that his friend and host had anticipated the festivities with too free a hand . Macbean was not drunk , but he was perceptibly blunted and blurred , and Fergus had never seen the pale eyes so watery or the black skull-cap so much on one side of the venerable head . The lad was genuinely grieved .