twelve o'clock
Kate and little Kate had , the night before , gone home with William . It had been a sudden decision , brought about by the realization that Bertram 's trip to New York would leave William alone . Her trunk was to be carried there to-day , and she would leave for home from there , at the end of a two or three days ' visit . It began to snow at twelve o'clock . All the morning the sky had been gray and threatening ; and the threats took visible shape at noon in myriads of white snow feathers that filled the air to the blinding point , and turned the brown , bare world into a thing of fairylike beauty . Billy , however , with a rare frown upon her face , looked out upon it with disapproving eyes . `` I _ was _ going in town -- and I believe I 'll go now , '' she cried .