Page:Silver Shoal Light.djvu/344

 The transport swept on, and night closed in about the place where she had passed. But when the low beat of her engines had died, the waves of her wake still foamed and fretted against the foot of the tower. Joan went back into the lantern, because she was half afraid that she would fall from the balcony. She put out her hand to steady herself, and, in the light of the great lamp, saw that it was covered with blood. But though she searched rapidly, she found no cut or wound on her person which could account for it. With a little cry, "Oh, Garth!" she groped, stumbling, down the tower-stairs and back through the passage.

Feverishly, with clumsy fingers, Joan lit a lamp and ran up the house stairway, holding the light high and shading her dazzled eyes from its flame. Before she had gone halfway, Garth spoke.

"I saw her, Joan! I saw her go by! Oh, you were almost not in time, but you saved her!"

"Oh, I didn't," cried Joan, as she entered the room; "you saved her. Garth! You are hurt!"

For beside his forehead the pillow was dark with blood. Bending over him, she found the