noon
She said no more about introducing her beloved minister 's family , but in secret she still mourned because the lame girl so steadfastly refused to welcome her dearest friends . So the days flew swiftly by and the month of May was gone . Summer was early that year , and the first day of June dawned sultry and still over the sweltering city . It was a half-holiday at the Chestnut School , so Peace returned home at noon , hot , perspiring , but radiant at the thought of no more lessons till the morrow . She came a round-about way in order to pass the great gates of the stone mansion , hoping to catch a glimpse of the well-known chair under the lilac bushes ; but the lawn was deserted , and she was disappointed , for she had counted much on spending these unexpected leisure hours in the cool garden with the lame girl . To add to her woe , she found Elizabeth lying on the couch in the darkened study , suffering from a nerve-racking headache , and the preacher , looking very droll togged out in his little wife 's kitchen-apron , was flying about serving up the scorched , unseasoned dinner for the forlorn family . He was too much concerned over the illness of the mistress and the unfinished condition of his next Sunday 's sermon to sample his own cooking , and as Glen fell asleep over his bowl of bread and milk , Peace was left entirely to her own devices when the meal was ended .