noon
`` What 's up , Hans ? '' `` Tell your clerk to leave us , '' said Grumbach , his face as barren of expression as a rock . `` Something serious , eh ? '' Carmichael dismissed the clerk , telling him to return after the noon hour . `` Now , then , '' he said , `` what is the trouble ? '' `` I have already spoken to you about it , '' Grumbach returned . `` The matter has gone badly .