noon
After supper Grant retired to a book from the Sea-side Library , borrowed of Mr. Brotherton from stock -- `` Sesame and Lilies '' was its title . Jasper plunged into his bookkeeping studies and by the wood stove in the sitting-room Rhoda Kollander held her levee until bedtime sent her home . During the noon hour the next day in Mr. Brotherton 's cigar store and news stand , the walnut bench was filled that he had just installed for the comfort of his customers . At one end , was Grant Adams who had hurried up from the mines to buy a paperbound copy of Carlyle 's `` French Revolution '' ; next to him sat deaf John Kollander smoking his noon cigar , and beside Kollander sat stuttering Kyle Perry , thriftily sponging his morning Kansas City _ Times _ over Dr. Nesbit 's shoulder . The absent brother always was on the griddle at Mr. Brotherton 's amen corner , and the burnt offering of the moment was Henry Fenn . He had just broken over a protracted drouth -- one of a year and a half -- and the group was shaking sad heads over the county attorney 's downfall . The doctor was saying , `` It 's a disease , just as the ` ladies , God bless 'em ' will become a disease with Tom Van Dorn if he does n't stop pretty soon -- a nervous disease and sooner or later they will both go down .