noon
The brothers had been away again hunting and had just returned . As Leslie set the dishes on their shelf above the stove he glanced uneasily out of the window . He had not seen the McKenzies for some time . Ever since they had crossed the valley that noon on their snow-shoes , their hunting trophies on their shoulders , he had watched their cabin with that same air of uneasy abstraction . `` Ross , '' he broke out at last , `` I 've got to tell you something . I hate like a dog to tell it , but it 's got to break loose some time and it may as well be right now . '' He turned from the shelf , glanced at the snoring Weimer , lowered his voice , and , standing beside the stove , worked restlessly at the damper in the pipe .