midday
even to the homes of the mighty came shame and dishonour through a woman ! And all through the European custom of giving women so much liberty ! On the whole , the `` black man '' knew best how to protect his honour and his home ! Meanwhile , a mounted messenger had gone at great speed to inform the Collector , who arrived by midday looking dazed and ill from the shock . It was pitiful to see how helpless he had become in the face of such an appalling tragedy as the complete disappearance of his wife . Telegrams to various stations on the line had brought no information ; mounted policemen had returned without having discovered a clue . The car had vanished with its occupants , though all who knew Joyce intimately , knew that she would cheerfully have given her life rather than have abandoned her child .