midday
Was this rain beating down and back her love for him , or had she never loved ? He walked his room , gripping his hands , peering through the misty windows toward the swamp -- rain , rain , rain , nothing but rain . The world was water veiled in mists . Then of a sudden , at midday , the sun shot out , hot and still ; no breath of air stirred ; the sky was like blue steel ; the earth steamed . Bles rushed to the edge of the swamp and stood there irresolute . Perhaps -- if the water had but drained from the cotton ! -- it was so strong and tall !