noon
I will lock them all up till to-morrow evening , and then we will finish them . '' I obeyed him silently . I was too exhausted to speak ; but I was also too excited to sleep . Until noon I lay wide awake on the bed , in my darkened room , living over Esther Wynn 's life , marvelling at the inexplicable revelation of it which had been put into our hands , and wondering , until the uncertainty seemed almost anguish , what was that end which we could never know . Did she die in the Holy Land ? or did she come home well and strong ? and did her lover die some day , leaving his secret treasure of letters behind him , and poor stricken Esther to go to her grave in fear lest unfriendly hands might have gained possession of her heart 's records ?