Five
o'clock
It was some consolation to peruse for the twentieth time the four closely-written pages on which Cynthia had set out the tour 's timetable for the benefit of Simmonds . He had not returned it , since she possessed a copy , and in his mind 's eye he followed the Mercury in its flight up the map from end to end of industrial Lancashire , through smoky Preston to trim Lancaster and quiet Kendal , and finally , after a long day , to the brooding peace and serene beauty of Windermere . At last , rousing himself from his dreaming -- for he was now back in his club again , sipping a cup of tea -- he glanced at his watch . Five o'clock -- a likely hour to find Mr. Vanrenen in the hotel , if , as was most probable , Devar 's telegram to his mother was altogether mistaken in its report of the millionaire 's movements . He meant , of course , to make himself known to Vanrenen , and go through the whole adventure from A to Z . It should provide an interesting story , he thought -- lively as a novel in some of its chapters , and calculated to appeal strongly to the bright intelligence of an American . On his way to the Savoy , he tried to picture to himself just what Cynthia 's father would look like .