noon
He went about his daily work , a man grown , thinking his own thoughts ; and these thoughts were of many things ; but they held no room for the problem which meant everything in life to Honoria and Lizzie -- yes , and to Humility , though it haunted her in less disturbing shape . Humility pondered it quietly with a mind withdrawn while her hands moved before her on the lace pillow ; and pondering it , she resigned the solution to time . But it filled her thoughts constantly , none the less . One noon Taffy returned from the light-house for his dinner to find a registered postal packet lying on the table . He glanced up and met his mother 's gaze ; but let the thing lie while he ate his meal , and having done , picked it up and carried it away with him unopened . On the cliff-side , in a solitary place , he broke the seal . He guessed well enough what the packet contained : the silver medal procured for him by the too officious coroner .