noon
With the plan of proceeding which I now had in view , it was first necessary to possess the complete list of the guests . This I could easily obtain from Gabriel Betteredge . I determined to go back to Yorkshire on that day , and to begin my contemplated investigation the next morning . It was just too late to start by the train which left London before noon . There was no alternative but to wait , nearly three hours , for the departure of the next train . Was there anything I could do in London , which might usefully occupy this interval of time ? My thoughts went back again obstinately to the birthday dinner .