noon
It was evident that they had some plan of play which they were working out together . It was just as thrilling , Mary thought , to be in the Casino by day as by night , and even more interesting now , because she knew how to play , instead of having to depend upon Madame d'Ambre . She had feared that her too solicitous friend might be lying in wait for her this morning , but she need have had no anxiety . Madeleine never appeared before noon . Perhaps she might have made a superhuman effort had there been reasonable hope of anything to gain . But Madame d'Ambre had learned to read faces : and Mary 's had told her that for a time there was nothing more to expect . She would be comfortably lazy while her money held out .