It was five oclock in the afternoon There can be no doubt whatever as to that Old Agnes may say what she pleasesshe has a habit of doing sobut I know for certain because I looked at my watch not ten minutes before it happened that it was exactly five oclock in the afternoon when I received a most singular and every way remarkable visita visit which has left an indelible impression on my memory as well it might for independent of its singularity and unexpectedness one of its results was the series of strange adventures which are faithfully detailed in this volume It happened thus I was seated in an armchair in my private study in a small town on the west coast of England It was a splendid afternoon and it was exactly five oclock Mark that Not that there is anything singular about the mere fact neither is it in any way mixed up with the thread of this tale but old Agnes is very obstinatesingularly positiveand I have a special desire that she should see it in print that I have not given in on that point
