midday
Then with a crashing salvo of suddenness the tempest broke -- and it was as though all the belated storms of the summer had merged into one armageddon of the elements . A rending and splintering of timber sounded with the shriek of the tornado that whipped its lash of destruction through the woods . The girl , buffeted and almost swept from her feet , struggled with her weight thrown against the door that she could scarcely close . Then the darkness blotted midday into night , and through the unnatural thickness clashed a frenzy of detonations . Out of the window she and her husband seemed looking through dark and confused waters which leaped constantly into the brief and blinding glare of such blue-white instants of lightning as hurt the eyes . The walnut tree appeared and disappeared -- waving arms like a high-priest in transports of frenzy , and adding its wind-song to the mighty chorus . The sturdily built old house trembled under that assaulting , and when the first cyclonic sweep of wind had rushed by the pelting of hail and rain was a roar as of small-arms after artillery .