six o'clock
The narrative had made but a slight impression on me at the time ; I did n't know the persons concerned , and had no reason to interest myself in their fortunes . In those early days , moreover , I was often homesick , and gave myself up readily to dreaming of English scenes and faces . Now the words and drawling intonation came back to me distinctly , and with them the question : Was the robber of Judge Shannon the same Williams who had once been the Sheriff 's partner ? My first impulse was to hurry into the street and try to find out ; but it was the chief part of my duty to stay in the office till six o'clock ; besides , the Sheriff was `` out of town , '' and perhaps would not be back that day . The hours dragged to an end at last ; my supper was soon finished , and , as night drew down , I hastened along the wooden side-walk of Washington Street towards the Carvell House . This hotel was much too large for the needs of the little town ; it contained some fifty bedrooms , of which perhaps half-a-dozen were permanently occupied by `` high-toned '' citizens , and a billiard-room of gigantic size , in which stood nine tables , as well as the famous bar . The space between the bar , which ran across one end of the room , and the billiard-tables , was the favourite nightly resort of the prominent politicians and gamblers .