noon
He described his visit to Blennerhassett Island . Gilcrest , becoming interested , melted perceptibly , for a time ; but when the young man , in the course of his narrative , mentioned the names of his two traveling companions from Lexington to Blennerhassett Island , Gilcrest 's manner not only lost its lately recovered geniality , but became harder and more frigid than ever . After striving vainly to bring his host back to a more pleasant mood , Abner felt that he could not , in the face of Gilcrest 's increasing sternness and coldness , prolong the visit . Although it was raining heavily , he declined Mrs. Gilcrest 's timid invitation to remain to dinner , and left a little before noon . As he rode home through the rain he thought over every trifling incident of his hour at Oaklands . He recalled every topic of conversation , without finding a clue to the enigma . `` He 's harking back to my old transgression in upholding Stone , '' was his conclusion .