noon
she cried . She came home at noon , her girl friends accompanying her , but waiting , as before , in the area . She was not so shy as she had been the first day ; instead , she was dignified as she viewed the arm - and leg-work , praised Johnnie with sweet condescension , and thanked Mr. Perkins for all his trouble with quite a grown-up air . The noon following , she arrived alone -LRB- Mr. Perkins had remarked the day previous that he would be coming regularly now -RRB- . As he had appeared early , and the exercising was over and done , he and Cis went down the stairs together . Johnnie stood outside the door to watch them , and marveled as he watched . When had he ever seen Cis smile so much ?