twelve o'clock
This friend was a girl whom Billy had known at school . She was studying now at the Conservatory of Music ; and she had often urged Billy to come and have luncheon with her in her tiny apartment , which she shared with three other girls and a widowed aunt for housekeeper . On this particular Friday it had occurred to Billy that , owing to her business appointment at eleven and the Symphony Concert at half-past two , the intervening time would give her just the opportunity she had been seeking to enable her to accept her friend 's invitation . A question asked , and enthusiastically answered in the affirmative , over the telephone that morning , therefore , had speedily completed arrangements , and she had agreed to be at her friend 's door by twelve o'clock , or before . As it happened , business did not take quite so long as she had expected , and half-past eleven found her well on her way to Miss Henderson 's home . In spite of the warm sunshine and the slushy snow in the streets , there was a cold , raw wind , and Billy was beginning to feel thankful that she had not far to go when she rounded a corner and came upon a long line of humanity that curved itself back and forth on the wide expanse of steps before Symphony Hall and then stretched itself far up the Avenue . `` Why , what -- '' she began under her breath ; then suddenly she understood .