noon
The dozen , and more , were completed ; and then , in spite of her vow , Rita found time to make one for herself , certainly as pretty a hat as heart could desire . So pretty , Rita thought it a thousand pities that there was no one beside Don Annunzio and Marm Prudence to see her in it . She sighed , and thought of the camp among the hills , of Carlos and the General , and Don Uberto . One day , soon after noon , Marm Prudence asked Rita if she would like to take a walk with her . Rita assented eagerly , and put on her pretty hat . She looked on with surprise as Marm Prudence proceeded to take from a cupboard an ample covered basket , from which protruded the neck of a bottle and some plump red bananas . `` Are we going on a picnic , then ? ''