As the darkness increased, however, Nick said: 

“It must be caused by the thick smoke; but I don’t think it will last, and when we reach Dunbarton that will be the end of it.”

“It won’t make any difference,” said Nellie, “unless it gets so dark we can’t see the way.”

“No fear of that.”

But when at last they emerged from the woods, and shortly after entered the village, the impressive gloom was deeper than ever.  The villagers were awed by the unnatural appearance of nature, and were standing in groups looking at the sky and talking in undertones.

Many were frightened, and not a few hurried to their homes, terrified with the belief that the last awful day, when the heavens shall be burned up as a scroll and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, was at hand.

Ah, had it been the final Judgment Day, how many of us would have had our houses in order for the coming of the angel of the Lord?

Nick Ribsam sprang out of the carriage, helped Nellie to alight, and went into the store of Mr. Martin, where James Bradley was found awaiting him.  The money was handed over, a receipt taken, the horse fed, during which Nellie attended to the errand on which she was sent, and, an hour later, the mare was given water, and brother and sister started homeward, little dreaming of what awaited them.

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE BURNING FOREST.

“It is growing darker all the time.”

“So it seems; I never saw anything like it.”

“Maybe it is really night, Nick, and we have lost our reckoning.  Isn’t there any way by which the world might swing out of its—­what do you call it?”

“Orbit, I suppose, you mean; there may be such a way, but from what I have studied, when it does do that there will be more of a disturbance than simple darkness like this.”

These words were exchanged between brother and sister after they had penetrated the woods a considerable distance on their return home.  It had become like night around them, except that, as has been shown, the gloom was of that peculiar lurid nature which can hardly be described, and can never be forgotten by those who saw it.

Even Nick Ribsam was impressed.  It could not have been otherwise, for any one would have been lacking in natural sensibility had he failed to be awed by the singular sight.  It can scarcely be said that the lad was frightened, although there came over him a yearning feeling that he might hurry home so the family could all be together, if the awful calamity—­whatever it might be—­should descend.

It was different with the sister Nellie; her nature was more impressible, and it was only by a strong effort that she kept her self-control so long.  As she peeped furtively out from the carriage, she looked at the woods, penetrated by the strange haze, which perhaps took on a more striking appearance in an autumnal forest like that, than anywhere else.