noon
As to the cause of the trouble the whole house was as mystified as myself . `` I know as little of the reason of her illness as you do yourselves . '' Janet said , after she had narrated the doings at the inn . `` On Tuesday , a little after noon , she came to me saying that she 'd been in such an excited state , she was off alone to collect herself by a walk , and while she was out she passed a girl who was putting some linen on the bleach-green ; Nancy spoke to her concerning some lace with which the garments were trimmed , and as they talked Rab Burns passed them , with four or five of his cronies , and the girl broke into a passion at sight of him , shaking her fist after him and calling him foul names as he went down the lane . `` At this , another girl , who was soon to be a mother , came weeping from the house , and Nancy emptied her purse to them before they parted . `` When she came in , '' Janet went on , `` her face was white and set , her eyes seeing nothing , and when Rab Burns sent up his name to her that night she said to the maid , ` Tell Mr. Burns that Miss Stair will not see him ! ' and sat by the window , staring into the starlight , where I found her at five the next morning with the fever upon her and her wits gone gyte . ''