noon
` Well , God help us ; 't is a world to see , ' '' Darrel quoted , waving his hand . `` If thy heart oppress thee , steer for the Blessed Isles . '' Robin 's Inn A big maple sheltered the house of the widow Vaughn . After the noon hour of a summer day its tide of shadow began flowing fathoms deep over house and garden to the near field , where finally it joined the great flood of night . The maple was indeed a robin 's inn at some crossing of the invisible roads of the air . Its green dome towered high above and fell to the gable end of the little house . Its deep and leafy thatch hid every timber of its frame save the rough column .