noon
She came up to him with her rapid leopard-like grace , and he started as he saw the change upon her features . She was covered with sand and dust , and with the animal 's blood-flecked foam . The beating of her heart from the fury of the gallop had drained every hue from her face ; her voice was scarcely articulate in its breathless haste as she saluted him . `` Monsieur , I have come from Algiers since noon -- '' `` From Algiers ! '' He and his officers echoed the name of the city in incredulous amaze ; they knew how far from them down along the sea-line the white town lay . `` Since noon , to rescue a life -- the life of a great soldier , of a guiltless man . He who saved the honor of France at Zaraila is to die the death of a mutineer at dawn ! ''