If there had been an earthquake, the terrified people saw that at least their houses had not crumbled beneath the shock.

It was possible that the uproar had been caused by an avalanche, the fall of some mighty rock from the summit of the mountains.
An hour passed without other incident.

A wind from the west sweeping over the long chain of the Blueridge, set the pines and hemlocks wailing on the higher slopes.

There seemed no new cause for panic; and folk began to return to their houses.

All, however, awaited impatiently the return of day.
Then suddenly, toward three o'clock in the morning, another alarm! Flames leaped up above the rocky wall of the Great Eyrie.