twelve
o'clock, noon
The instrument I drew , and which was signed by Orcutt and myself , has no legal existence . No valid contract could have been drawn relative to the disposal of those lands until the options held by Mr. McNabb had expired -- '' `` But they had expired ! '' cried Wentworth . `` They expired at twelve o'clock , noon , of July first , and the contract was not signed until two or three minutes after twelve . '' `` By Orcutt 's watch , '' retorted Cameron . `` And Orcutt 's watch was an hour faster than official time . I had no reason to suppose his watch was wrong , and believed the time had expired , until I was confronted , after your departure , by the accredited representative of McNabb .