noon
So the matter was allowed to stand for the time ; and Bill and Luke , when they had had their breakfast , went down again to Marsden to hear what was going on . Marsden was greatly excited . The sensation caused by the news of the murder scarcely exceeded that which was aroused when it was heard that Ned Sankey had come in and given himself up . Some thought that at the examination which was to take place at noon he would at once confess his guilt , while others believed that he would plead not guilty , and would throw the burden of proving that he killed his stepfather upon the prosecution . All through the previous day Mrs. Mulready had been the central object of interest to the town gossips pending the capture of her son . Dr. Green had been in and out of the house all day . It was known that she had passed from one fit of hysterics into another , and that the doctor was seriously alarmed about her state .