noon
Major Cranston touched his arm . `` Come over to my tent , Forrest . I can explain something of this , '' he said . And the next morning , after some sleepless hours , with permission from Colonel Kenyon to be absent from camp until noon , Mr. Forrest took a cab and drove far up town , making only one stop -- at a florist 's -- on the way . The Allison carriage was coming forth just as he reached the well-known gates . Mrs. Lawrence and Florence , seated therein , did not catch sight of the occupant of the cab until he raised his hat . Florence gasped , grabbed Aunt Lawrence by the arm , called to their coachman , and glanced back .