noon
With that example before us of a much more exalted life , we shall not be satisfied until we have learned its secrets and attained to its perfections . In this upward march we shall be sustained and helped by the same divine Power that has thus far led us . '' We were much impressed by Thorwald 's earnest words and manner , and we began to realize that the civilization of Mars was above our most exalted conception . I had been so carried away by the topics which I had feared were going to be uninteresting that I had lost some of the restlessness of the morning , but as our sitting broke up and I noticed it was drawing near noon my anxious thoughts returned . Finding Fronda and learning from her from what direction Avis might be expected to come , I determined to go out alone and see if I could meet her . I managed to get away without the fact being noticed , as far as I could discover , and started down the walk at a brisk pace . The houses were a good distance apart and were all attractive enough to draw out both wonder and admiration , had my mind been in a condition to appreciate their beauty .