Estelle turned from the window as he appeared.

“The streets are deserted,” she said in a puzzled tone.  “What’s the matter?  Did you hear?”

Arthur shook his head and reached for the telephone.

“I’ll call up and find out,” he said confidently.  He held the receiver to his ear.  “What the—­” he exclaimed.  “Listen to this!”

A small-sized roar was coming from the receiver.  Arthur hung up and turned a blank face upon Estelle.

“Look!” she said suddenly, and pointed out of the window.

All the city was now lighted up, and such of the signs as they could see were brilliantly illumined.  They watched in silence.  The streets once more seemed filled with vehicles.  They darted along, their headlamps lighting up the roadway brilliantly.  There was, however, something strange even about their motion.  Arthur and Estelle watched in growing amazement and perplexity.

“Are—­are you seeing what I am seeing?” asked Estelle breathlessly. “I see them going backward!”

Arthur watched, and collapsed into a chair.

“For the love of Mike!” he exclaimed softly.

II.

He was roused by another exclamation from Estelle.

“It’s getting light again,” she said.

Arthur rose and went eagerly to the window.  The darkness was becoming less intense, but in a way Arthur could hardly credit.

Far to the west, over beyond the Jersey hills—­easily visible from the height at which Arthur’s office was located—­a faint light appeared in the sky, grew stronger and then took on a reddish tint.  That, in turn, grew deeper, and at last the sun appeared, rising unconcernedly in the west.

Arthur gasped.  The streets below continued to be thronged with people and motor-cars.  The sun was traveling with extraordinary rapidity.  It rose overhead, and as if by magic the streets were thronged with people.  Every one seemed to be running at top-speed.  The few teams they saw moved at a breakneck pace—­backward!  In spite of the suddenly topsyturvy state of affairs there seemed to be no accidents.

Arthur put his hands to his head.

“Miss Woodward,” he said pathetically, “I’m afraid I’ve gone crazy.  Do you see the same things I do?”

Estelle nodded.  Her eyes wide open.

“What is the matter?” she asked helplessly.

She turned again to the window.  The square was almost empty once more.  The motor-cars still traveling about the streets were going so swiftly they were hardly visible.  Their speed seemed to increase steadily.  Soon it was almost impossible to distinguish them, and only a grayish blur marked their paths along Fifth Avenue and Twenty-Third Street.

It grew dusk, and then rapidly dark.  As their office was on the western side of the building they could not see that the sun had sunk in the east, but subconsciously they realized that this must be the case.