about noon
To Ruth , who , except for brief visits East , had been accustomed ail her life to the level stretches of the Middle West , the New England hills , just now radiant in their autumn coloring were a constant source of delight . She had been kept so busy seeing Glenloch , meeting Mrs. Hamilton 's friends and getting acquainted with her own special chums that she had hardly had time to settle her belongings . Saturday morning , therefore , found her at work in good earnest , for the girls were coming in that afternoon , and she wanted her pretty room to look its prettiest . `` Not homesick , I hope , dear , '' said Mrs. Hamilton , coming into the room about noon to find Ruth curled up in the big armchair with the black kitten on her lap . `` No , only resting after putting my room in order . I 've been so busy and the days have flown so fast that I have n't wholly unpacked my trunk until this morning . '' `` The pictures make the room look very homelike , '' said Mrs. Hamilton , glancing at the photographs which adorned desk , mantel and table .