noon
After all , you must see that he was my father . '' `` A pretty father he was , too good for the girl he married . It 's my fault I did n't tell you long ago , but I just could n't abide the mention of him . He deserted me , no , us , cold , without a word -- walked out of the door one noon , taking his hat as quiet as natural , and never came back . I never saw him again nor heard except through lawyers . That was the kind of heart he had , and his sisters are worse . I had n't a decent speech of any kind out of them .