noon
He had seen his sentence in her innocent face ; but he loved her still . There was something in her virginal candour , her bright young loveliness , that touched the noblest chords of his heart . He loved her with a chivalrous devotion , which , after all , is as natural to the breast of a young Englishman in these modern days , miscalled degenerate , as when the spotless knight King Arthur loved and wooed his queen . The coroner 's inquest , which had been appointed to take place at noon that day , was postponed until three o'clock in the afternoon , in compliance with the earnest request of Henry Dunbar . When ever was the earnest request of a millionaire refused ? The coroner , who was a fussy little man , very readily acceded to Mr. Dunbar 's entreaties . `` I am a stranger in England , '' the Anglo-Indian said ; `` I was never in my life present at an inquest .