Even while he spoke the order was obeyed, yet barely in time; for at that instant a great tree came down with a heavy crash, falling across the road directly in front of the horses and so close that it grazed their noses as it passed.
Zoe, throwing an arm round her husband’s neck and clasping her babies close with the other, gave one terrified shriek, then for several minutes all sat in horror-struck silence, feeling that they had escaped by but a hair’s-breadth from sudden, horrible death. Edward’s arm was about her waist, and he drew her closer and closer yet, with a gesture of mute tenderness.
“O Ned, dear Ned, how near we’ve been to death! we and our darlings,” she exclaimed, bursting into tears and sobs.
“Yes,” he said in trembling tones. “Oh, thank the Lord for his goodness! The Lord first, and then you, Herbert,” for his brother was now close by the side of the carriage again.
“No thanks are due me, dear Ned,” he replied, with emotion, “but let us thank the Lord that he put it into my heart to come along with you, and directed my eyes to the tree as it swayed slightly, preparatory to its sudden fall. Look, Zoe, what a large, heavy one it is—one of the old monarchs of the wood and still hale and vigorous in appearance. Who would ever have expected it to fall so suddenly and swiftly?”
“I hardly want to,” she said, shuddering; “it seems so like a dreadful foe that had tried to kill my husband, my darling babies, and myself.”
“How the horses are trembling with fright!” exclaimed Edward. “Poor fellows! it is no wonder, for if I am not mistaken the tree actually grazed their noses as it fell.”
“Yes, sah, it did dat berry ting,” said Solon, who had alighted and was stroking and patting the terrified steeds, “an’ dey mos’ tinks dey’s half killed. I dunno how we’s goin’ fer to git ’long hyar, Mr. Ed’ard, sah; cayn’t drive ober dis big tree no how ’tall.”
“No, but perhaps we can manage to go round it; or better still, we’ll turn and drive back till we can get into the high-road again. But drive slowly, till your horses recover, in a measure at least, from their fright.”