noon
A third story , too , was whispered in half a dozen homes , and was going wild about the garrison , to the effect that Captain Wren , when accused of being Mullins 's assailant , had virtually declared that he had seen other persons prowling on the sentry 's post and that they , not he , were the guilty ones ; but when bidden to name or describe them , Wren had either failed or refused ; some said one , some said the other , and the prevalent belief in Sudsville circles , as well as in the barracks , was that Captain Wren was going crazy over his troubles . And now there were women , ay , and men , too , though they spake with bated breath , who had uncanny things to say of Angela -- the captain 's only child . And this it was that led to sensation No. 4 -- a wordy battle of the first magnitude between the next-door neighbor of the saddler sergeant and no less a champion of maiden probity than Norah Shaughnessy -- the saddler sergeant 's buxom daughter . All the hours since early morning Norah had been in a state of nerves so uncontrollable that Mrs. Truman -- who knew of Norah 's fondness for Mullins and marveled not that Mullins always preferred the loneliness and isolation of the post on No. 5 -- decided toward noon to send the girl home to her mother for a day or so , and Norah thankfully went , and threw herself upon her mother 's ample breast and sobbed aloud . It was an hour before she could control herself , and her agitation was such that others came to minister to her . Of course there was just one explanation -- Norah was in love with Mullins and well-nigh crazed with grief over his untimely taking off , for later reports from the hospital were most depressing . This , at least , was sufficient explanation until late in the afternoon .