noon
Then she went by one morning before sunrise , riding like the wind . A little later she repassed , whipping her horse at every gallop . Fong Wu , called to his door by the clatter , saw that her face was white and drawn . At noon , going up to the post-office , he heard a bit of gossip that seemed to bear upon her unwonted trip . Radigan was rehearsing it excitedly to his wife , and the Chinese busied himself with his mail and listened -- apparently unconcerned . `` I c 'n tell you she ai n't afraid of anythin ' , that Mrs. Barrett , '' the post-master was saying ; `` neither th ' cayuse she rides or a critter on two legs . An ' that fancy little drug-clerk from ` Frisco got it straight from th ' shoulder . ''