noon
She listened carefully for noises from above ; then flung herself on the couch , utterly wearied . In a moment she was asleep , having shed the years of pain , and a frank smile crept over the calm face . After giving the invalid his breakfast , and arranging him on his couch where he could see the cars pass , Mrs. Preston hurried over to the Everglade School , which was only two blocks west of Stoney Island Avenue . At noon she slipped out , while the other teachers gathered in one of the larger rooms to chat and unroll their luncheons . These were wrapped in little fancy napkins that were carefully shaken and folded to serve for the next day . As the Everglade teachers had dismissed Mrs. Preston from the first as queer , her absence from the noon gossip was rather welcome , though resented . The recess hour gave Mrs. Preston enough time to carry upstairs a cold meal , to take a hasty nibble of food , and to hurry back across the vacant lots before the gong should ring for the afternoon session .