nine
o'clock
`` About what time did you get there -- I mean to Bitterworth 's ? '' questioned Mr. Verner , who appeared to have his thoughts filled with other things at that moment than with Sibylla West . `` I can not be sure , '' replied Lionel . `` I think it must have been nine o'clock . I went into Deerham to the post-office , and then came back to Bitterworth 's . '' Mr. Verner mused . `` Lionel , '' he observed , `` it is a curious thing , but there 's not one of you but might have been the party to the quarrel that night ; so , far as that your time can not be positively accounted for by minutes and by hours .