about noon
Why should they not indeed , for if anywhere upon the earth , if it be given and received in youth before the heart has been seared and tainted with bitterness and disillusion , surely in such a pledge as theirs true joy can be found . Yes , and they did more than this , for , kneeling there upon that rock where once the starving child had knelt in bygone years , they prayed to Him who had brought them together , to Him who had given them hearts to love with and bodies to be loved , and the immortality of Heaven wherein to garner this seed of love thus sown upon the earth , that He would guide them , bless them , and protect them through all trials , terrors , sorrows , and separations . As shall be seen , this indeed He did . Then they rose , and having , not without difficulty , lifted the riet-buck ram upon Ralph 's horse and made it fast there , as our hunters know how to do , they started homewards , walking the most part of the way , for the load was heavy and they were in no haste , so that they only reached the farm about noon . Now I , watching them as we sat at our mid-day meal , grew sure that something out of the common had passed between them . Suzanne was very silent , and from time to time glanced at Ralph shyly , whereon , feeling her eyes , he would grow red as the sunset , and seeing his trouble , she would colour also , as though with the knowledge of some secret that made her both happy and ashamed . `` You were long this morning in finding a buck , Ralph , '' I said .