Answer:
Foreshadowing
Step-by-step explanation:
'Foreshadowing' is characterized as the literary device that the author employs to provide hints or symbolic representations of plot developments that are to come later in the story. It helps in developing suspense and uncertainty among the readers that helps in keeping their interest and curiosity intact.
In the given example, the author drops clues about a serious and significant event that is about to take place in the story through the descriptions regarding the woman's mysterious and hurried actions. It develops a dramatic tension that makes the readers curious and suspenseful about the upcoming event in the story and they anticipate further plot development in order to understand the story.