noon
Even in that first moment when she stopped and caught her breath , audibly , from sheer surprise , the girl sensed the indecision in the attitude of the man before her . But she could not know that it was not a thing of the moment -- that irresolution ; could not know that throughout the week Steve had periodically abused himself for his inability to settle the question once and for all , and leave his brain free for more important things . Just as often as he told himself that he would not go , he had found himself reopening the mental discussion , and yet -- and strangely enough -- it was not the recollection of Barbara 's repeated invitations , or even her distress over Garry Devereau , who had been ceaselessly in his thoughts ever since she had spoken of him , which finally achieved the decision . An insistent desire again to meet the Honorable Archibald Wickersham in the end led him to request Fat Joe to hook up the team , that day at noon , for the long drive down river . With Steve himself handling the reins , they had rolled the thirty miles at a speed which might have mildly surprised Fat Joe had he not been accustomed to putting two and two together to make six or eight or more . And Fat Joe 's thin tenor was just drifting faintly off down the hill -- a mournful rendition of `` Home , Sweet Home '' -- when the girl stepped noiselessly forward and put a hand , feather-light , upon the man 's arm . Again she felt the swift tensing of the flesh beneath ; she fell back a step before the startling abruptness with which Steve whirled .