noon
Having conceived its possibilities , she was eager to go and test them ; but she had decided not to leave the house until she knew that Ford was really putting his plans into execution . The minute Evie learned the fatal news she would have need of her , and she dared not put herself out of the child 's reach . Her first duty must be toward the fragile little creature , who would be crushed like a trampled flower . Shortly before noon she was summoned to the telephone , where Evie was asking if she should find her in . Miriam judged from the tones of the transmitted voice that the worst had been made known . She was not , however , prepared for the briskness with which , ten minutes later , Evie whisked into the room , her cheeks aglow with excitement and her heavenly eyes dancing with a purely earthly sparkle . `` Is n't this awful ? ''