noon
She was quite handsome , in a serious way , he decided -- very womanly and dignified . Perhaps this was his romance , he thought , with the ready imagination upon this point of a youth of twenty-one . He returned soon with a German teamster , who helped him unload his lumber and erect his stagings . When noon came he was working away on the roof , tearing the old shingles off with a spade . He was a little uncertain about his dinner . It was the custom to board carpenters when they were working on a farm , but this farm was so near town , possibly Mrs. Miner would not think it necessary . He decided , however , to wait till one o'clock , to be sure .