noon
Between the silent walls of commerce desolated , and by the empty windows from which Prosperity once looked out , I threaded my way to a point upon the town 's eastern edge . Yes , that was the steam yacht 's name : the Hermana . I did n't make it out myself , she lay a trifle too far from shore ; but I could read from a little fluttering pennant that her owner was not on board ; and from the second loafer whom I questioned I learned , besides her name , that she had come from New York here to meet her owner , whose name he did not know and whose arrival was still indefinite . This was not very much to find out ; but it was so much more than I had found out about the Fannings that , although I now faithfully returned to my researches , and sat over open books until noon , I could n't tell you a word of what I read . Where was Miss Rieppe , and where was the owner of the Hermana ? Also , precisely how ill was the hero of Chattanooga , her poor dear father ? At the Exchange I opened the door upon a conversation which , in consequence , broke off abruptly ; but this much I came in for : -- `` Nothing but the slightest bruise above his eye .