nine o'clock
That was a message likely to surprise a country girl , but it did not strike John Merrick as in any way extraordinary . He thought he could depend upon Beth . She would be as eager to go as he was to have her , and when he had paid for the telegram he dismissed the matter from further thought . Next morning Patsy reminded him that instead of going down town he must personally notify Louise Merrick of the proposed trip ; so he took a cross-town line and arrived at the Merrick 's home at nine o'clock . Mrs. Merrick was in a morning wrapper , sipping her coffee in an upper room . But she could not deny herself to Uncle John , her dead husband 's brother and her only daughter 's benefactor -LRB- which meant indirectly her own benefactor -RRB- , so she ordered the maid to show him up at once . `` Louise is still sweetly sleeping , '' she said , `` and wo n't waken for hours yet . ''