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 tightened. There was no sound but the almost unbearable beat of her own heart. Then—

"All right! I—have—it, Joan!"

Interminable ages. She struck her whirling head back against the wall, to feel some other sensation than numbness and horror. Why did not some one see that the Light had gone out and come to investigate? Then she remembered the bay, bare of ships just then, and Quimpaug, hidden behind the point. Why did not the Life Saving Station see? Why didn't the men come from there? Could it be possible that the patrol had not missed the Light? Was there nothing, nobody, who had seen it go out? Was no one to know it until that hurrying transport, with its freight of soldiers, lay splintered on the Reef? Though the stars were muffled, all was clear on the sea below. The ship, expecting every instant to pick up the Light, would almost certainly cut too close to the point. The German's odious words came back to her, "There is no Light; what happens, hein?"

"Where are you, Joan?" said Garth's voice. It seemed to come from miles away. "Say something, so that I can find you."

She roused with a start and called out to