about
eight o'clock
Sometimes the mistress of the establishment rose early and wanted her morning meal before she went out of doors ; at other times she would go off to some distant point on the farm to see about something that was doing or ought to be done , and breakfast would be kept waiting for her . The delays , however , were not all due to the old lady 's irregular habits . Very often Letty would come up stairs with the information that the `` bread ai n't riz ; '' and as a Virginia breakfast without hot bread would be an impossibility , the meal would be postponed until the bread did conclude to rise , or until some substitute , such as `` beaten biscuit '' had been provided . On the morning after his arrival , Lawrence Croft came down stairs about eight o'clock , and found the lower part of the house deserted ; and glancing into the dining-room as he passed its open door , he saw no signs of breakfast . The house was cool , but the sun appeared to be shining warmly outside , and he stepped out of the open back door into a small flower garden , with a series of broad boards down the walk which lay along the middle of it . Up and down this board walk Lawrence strode , breathing the fresh air , and thinking over matters . He was not at all satisfied at being here during Keswick 's absence , feeling that he was enjoying an advantage which , although it was quite honorable , did not appear so .