ten o'clock
Jim had no inclination to eat , but he tried to at seven-thirty , still waiting and hoping for a message from Palla . He tried her house again about half past eight . This time the maid answered that Miss Dumont had telephoned from down town that she would dine out and go afterward to the Combat Club . And that if Mr. Shotwell desired to see her he should call at her house after ten o'clock . So Jim hastened to the cloak-room , got his hat and coat , found the starter , secured a taxi , bought an evening paper and stuffed it into his pocket , and started out to find Palla at the Combat Club . For it seemed evident to him that she had not yet read the evening paper ; and he hoped he might yet encounter her in time to prepare her for news which , according to the newspapers , appeared even blacker than he had supposed it might be . As he left the taxi in front of the dirty brick archway and flight of steps leading to the hall , where he expected to find Palla , he noticed a small crowd of wrangling foreigners gathered there -- men and women -- and a policeman posted near , calm and indifferent , juggling his club at the end of its leather thong .