noon
`` She 's one of the best hands we ever had , '' Flynn told Norman Lloyd one day . `` I am glad to hear that , '' Lloyd responded , smiling with that peculiar smile of his which was like a cold flash of steel . `` Curse him , he thinks no more of anybody in this shop than he does of the machine they work , '' Flynn thought as he watched the proprietor walking with his stately descent down the stairs . The noon whistle was blowing , and the younger Lloyd went leaping down the stairs and joined his uncle , then the two walked down the street , away from the factory . The factory at that time of year began to present , in spite of its crude architecture , quite a charming appearance , from the luxuriant vines which covered it and were beginning to get autumnal tints of red and russet . All the front of Lloyd 's was covered with vines , which had grown with amazing swiftness . Mrs. Lloyd often used to look at them and reflect upon them with complacency .