noon
He never could derationalize his emotions , cut himself free ; and while he felt just as intensely as she did , he had to carry the whole superstructure of himself along on those tempestuous voyages . In the mood Paula had left him in this morning , there was nothing in the world that could have satisfied and restored him as did his daughter 's companionship . The peace of this wordless prolongation of their talk together was something he lacked , for a long while , the will to break . It was not far short of noon when they came back into the veranda together . He had walked the last hundred yards , after a look at his watch , pretty fast and after a glance into both the down-stairs rooms , he called up-stairs to his wife in a voice that had an edge of sudden anxiety in it . Then getting no response , he went up , two at a time . Mary dropped down , limp with a sudden premonition , upon the gloucester swing in the veranda .