half past nine
He wondered who he was . He saw the young girl place her hand in his for a moment , and then hasten rapidly away . He thought himself stricken mad when the black shawl fall and showed in the faint moonlight the fair face and golden hair of Lillian Earle . * * * * * When Lillian re-entered the drawing room , the pretty ormulu clock was chiming half past nine . The chess and card tables were just as she had left them . Beatrice and Lord Airlie were still at the piano . Lionel was nowhere to be seen .