four o'clock
I shall be afraid of that wooden-legged man in the stables , for fear he should get up and abuse me . He asked me to get him some gin , -- which was quite unreasonable . '' But on being assured that he would find the groom about the place , he went out , and the trot of his horse was soon heard upon the road . He did succeed in finding John Gordon , who was listlessly waiting at the Claimant 's Arms for the coming of the four o'clock train which was to take him back to London , on his way , as he told himself , to the diamond-fields . He had thrown all his heart , all the energy of which he was the master , into the manner in which he had pleaded for himself and for Mary with Mr Whittlestaff . But he felt the weakness of his position in that he could not remain present upon the ground and see the working of his words . Having said what he had to say , he could only go ; and it was not to be expected that the eloquence of an absent man , of one who had declared that he was about to start for South Africa , should be regarded .