noon
Fidelia had started about ten o'clock in the morning , and her mother and Aunt Maria had agreed that they would not worry if she should not return until one o'clock in the afternoon . That would allow more than an hour for the mile walk each way , and give plenty of time for a rest between ; for Fidelia had been instructed to go into the store and sit down on a stool and rest a while before starting upon her return trip . `` Likely as not Mis ' Rose will give her a cooky or something , '' Aunt Maria had whispered to Mrs. Lennox . So when noon came the two women pictured Fidelia sitting perched upon a stool in the store , being fed with candy and cookies , and made much of , or even eating dinner with the Rose family . `` Mis ' Rose made so much of her when you took her there before that I should n't wonder a mite if she 'd kept her to dinner , '' said Aunt Maria . She promulgated this theory the more strenuously when one o'clock came and Fidelia had not appeared . `` Of course that 's what 't is , '' she kept repeating .