about
midday
Now and then one of the Rofener brothers came up to enquire whether she had not yet changed her mind . But they came but seldom , and interrupted Wally 's solitude by a few short half-hours only . One day the sun 's rays `` pricked '' with such sharp , unusual heat , that Wally felt as though she were passing between glowing needles . When the sun `` pricks , '' it draws the clouds together , and soon , somewhere about midday , it had gathered about itself a thick tent of clouds behind which it disappeared , and a leaden twilight was spread heavily over the earth . A strange disquietude seized the little flock ; now and then a quivering brightness shuddered through the grey cloud-chaos , as a sleeper 's eyelashes quiver in dreams , and gigantic black mourning clouds waved about Murzoll 's head . Now and again they were rent asunder , affording faint glimpses into the clear distance , but instantly across these thin places new veils were woven till all was closed , and no empty space , as it seemed , left between earth and Heaven . Wally well knew what all this foreboded ; she had already experienced plenty of bad weather up here on the mountains , and she drove the flock together under a projecting rock , where she had herself arranged a fold in case of need .