noon
Presently the collie dog came and laid his head on her shoulder . The long drought ended with a cloud-burst in the western mountains , which tore a new slide down the flank of Lynx Peak and scarred the Gilded Dome from summit to base . Then storm followed storm , bursting through the mountain-notch and sweeping the river into the meadows , where the haycocks were already afloat , and the gaunt mountain cattle floundered bellowing . The stage from White Lake arrived at noon with the mail , and the driver walked into the post-office and slammed the soaking mail-sack on the floor . `` Gracious ! '' said the little postmistress . `` Yes 'm , '' said the stage-driver , irrelevantly ; `` them letters is wetter an ' I 'm madder 'n a swimmin ' shanghai !