noon
As he paused a moment , Richard Lincoln stepped forward and ordered that it should be done . Then he fell back , bowing once to Dacre . Richard Lincoln had come there from the death-bed of his daughter to do this last service to the man that she loved . Then Dacre passed on , out of the great door into the full light of the noon . There in front of him was a great concourse of people , the multitude Geoffrey had seen from his window . Dacre looked out from the prison gate with his fixed , clear eyes , but the road was growing very short before him now , and still his glance went on beyond -- beyond the company of soldiers standing thirty yards in front , the butts of their rifles resting on the ground . `` John Dacre , you are found guilty of high treason to the people .