noon
At nightfall they reached Staunton , where they slept . On the morning of the fourth and last day of their journey , they took the cross-country coach and changed their route , which now led them towards the wildest , dreariest , and loneliest passes of the Alleghenies . About mid-day the coach entered the dark defile known as the `` Devils ' Descent . '' And , in fact , it needed all the noon sunshine to light up the gloom of that fearful pass . Here the delight of the impressible young foreigner deepened into awe . `` I have never seen anything like this in the old country , '' she breathed , in a low , hushed tone . And again Lyon Berners smiled most kindly and indulgently on her , and again Sybil Berners sickened at heart .