Lord H---- bowed his head, and the party, remounting, pursued their way. The road, however, as the negro had said, was more difficult in advance than it had been nearer to Sir William Johnson's settlement, and it took the whole party an hour to reach the great basswood tree which had been mentioned, and which was marked out from the rest of the forest by three large marks upon the bark, hewn by some surveyor's axe when the road had been laid out. There the party stopped for a moment or two, and with a few words of thanks Mr. Prevost and his companions parted from their escort.
"How dim the air along the path is," said Lord H----, looking on, "and yet the sun, getting to the west, is shining right down it through the valley. One could almost imagine it was filled with smoke."
"This is what we call a smoky day in America," replied Mr. Prevost, "but I never knew the Indian summer come on us with such a wind."
No more was said on that matter at the time, and as the road grew narrower, Mr. Prevost and the negro, as best acquainted with the way, rode first, while Lord H---- followed by Edith's side, conversing with her in quiet and easy tones, but with words which sometimes caused the color to vary a little in her cheek.
Thus they went on for some four miles farther, and the evening was evidently closing round them rapidly, though no ray had yet passed from the sky. Suddenly Mr. Prevost drew in his rein, saying in a low but distinct voice to the negro: "What is that crossing the road?"
"No Ingin!" cried the negro, whose eyes had been constantly bent forward.
"Surely there is smoke drifting across the path," said Mr. Prevost, "and I think I smell it, also."
"I have thought so for some time," said Lord H----, who was now close to them with Edith. "Are fires common in these woods?"
"Not very," answered Mr. Prevost, "but the season has been unusually dry. Good heaven, I hope my fears are not prophetic! I have been thinking all day of what would become of The Lodge if the forest were to take fire."
"We had better ride on as fast as possible," said the young nobleman, "for then if the worst happens we may be able to save some of your property, Mr. Prevost."