midnight
and he looked towards Harry Luttrell . Luttrell , however , was at a loss . `` It 's beyond me , '' he replied , and Martin Hillyard understood how that one morning at the little hotel under the Hog 's Back had given to him and him alone the key by which the door upon these dark things might be unlocked . `` The news arrived in the form of a letter marked urgent , which was handed in by the chauffeur of a private motor-car just after midnight . Of the time there is no doubt . I saw the editor myself . The issue would already have gone to press , but late news was expected that night from France , and the paper was waiting for it .