They sat in a close, unearthly twilight.
Though the huge entrance-door was flung wide, no breath of air reached them, no song of birds or sound of moving leaf.

Once Olga turned her eyes to the far glimmer of the east window, but she turned them instantly away again, and looked no more.

For it was as though a hand were holding up a dim lantern on the other side to show her the dreadful scene, casting a stain of crimson across the space where once had stood the altar.
Looking back later, she realized that it was only Nick's presence that gave her strength to endure that awful suspense.

She had never admired him more than she did then, his shrewdness, his cheeriness, his strength.

There was not the faintest suggestion of strain in his attitude.