noon
Helen absolutely connected her enemy with her sister 's disappearance . Riggs might have been a means to it . Daylight was not attended by so many fears ; there were things to do that demanded attention . And thus it was that the next morning , shortly before noon , she was recalled to her perplexities by a shouting out at the corrals and a galloping of horses somewhere near . From the window she saw a big smoke . `` Fire ! That must be one of the barns -- the old one , farthest out , '' she said , gazing out of the window .