noon
Yet he could only sit and stare into the darkness in dumb abstraction . Sitting there , his eyes fell upon a peculiar object in a crevice of the ledge beside the shaft . It was the tin pail containing his dinner , which , according to their custom , it was the duty of the brother who staid above ground to prepare and place for the brother who worked below . Ruth must , consequently , have put it there before he left that morning , and Rand had overlooked it while sharing the repast of the strangers at noon . At the sight of this dumb witness of their mutual cares and labors , Rand sighed , half in brotherly sorrow , half in a selfish sense of injury done him . He took up the pail mechanically , removed its cover , and -- started ; for on top of the carefully bestowed provisions lay a little note , addressed to him in Ruth 's peculiar scrawl . He opened it with feverish hands , held it in the light of the peaceful moon , and read as follows : DEAR , DEAR BROTHER , -- When you read this , I shall be far away .