noon
Never was blue-bottle more energetically put to flight . But even as the Tinkletown Pooh-Bah posed in restful supremacy there were rushing down upon him affairs of the epoch-making kind . Up in the clear , lazy sky a thunderbolt was preparing to hurl itself into the very heart of Tinkletown , and at the very head of Anderson Crow . Afterward it was recalled by observing citizens that just before noon -- seven minutes to twelve , in fact -- a small cloud no bigger than the proverbial hand crossed the sun hurriedly as if afraid to tarry . At that very instant a stranger drove up to the hitching-rack , bringing his sweat-covered horse to a standstill so abruptly in front of the marshal 's nose that that dignitary 's hat fell off backward . `` Whoa ! '' came clearly and unmistakably from the lips of the stranger who held the reins .