three o'clock
Perhaps the Greek boy who once intruded upon a goddess in her temple had an experience more like mine ; though in my case the goddess had taken part in the ceremony and consented to it . There would be something between us forever , I felt , different from anything that had ever taken place between a boy and girl in all the world -LRB- it always begins in that way -RRB- , something of which I could never speak to her or to any one , something which would make her different to me , in a strange , intimate , unspeakable way , whether I ever saw her again or not . Oh , the lost enchantment of youth , which makes an idol of a discarded pair of corsets , and locates a dream land about the combings of a woman 's hair ; and lives a century of bliss in a day of embarrassed silence ! It must have been three o'clock , for the rooster of the half-dozen fowls which I had traded for had just crowed , when Virginia called to me from the wagon . `` That man , '' said she in a scared voice , `` is hunting for me . '' `` Yes , '' said I , only guessing whom she meant . `` If he takes me I shall kill myself ! ''