midday
Beyond a slight heaving of the chest attendant upon his exertion , he seemed as cool and collected as though nothing had happened . `` I believe you 're right , '' he said , turning away . `` Well , he is n't that yet . '' The attention of the onlookers was concentrated on the prostrate bully , to restore whom a doctor was promptly sent for from the most likely bar , for it was midday . But all were constrained to allow that the fellow had only got what he deserved , which consensus of opinion may or may not have been due to the fact that he was , if anything , a trifle more unpopular than Hazon himself . Now among those who had witnessed this scene from first to last was Laurence Stanninghame . Not among those who would have interfered -- oh , no -- for did he not hold it a primary tenet never , on any pretext , to interfere in what did not concern him ?