was a perfectly beastly experience, and every minute I expected the guns to belch out at me.

I suppose I must have been crying. I seemed to have noticed myself making a funny little bleaty noise; I know I screamed when a very curt voice said: "What the devil are you doing here? You know perfectly well you aren't allowed!"

I suppose I must have been crying. I seemed to have noticed myself making a funny little bleaty noise; I know I screamed when a very curt voice said: "What the devil are you doing here? You know perfectly well you aren't allowed!"

"The searchlights!" I stammered.  "The searchlights!"

"The searchlights!" I stammered.  "The searchlights!"

"Well, they probably think you're up to no good here."

"Well, they probably think you're up to no good here."

"I am Major Burbridge's daughter," I stammered; "and they'll fire!"

"I am Major Burbridge's daughter," I stammered; "and they'll fire!"

"Probably," he said casually, "if they think you're spying."

"Probably," he said casually, "if they think you're spying."

"But they mustn't!"

"But they mustn't!"

"It would be a bore," the voice admitted lazily, "especially as I should be included in the result of their energies."  It sounded as if he didn't care a hang whether he was or not.

"It would be a bore," the voice admitted lazily, "especially as I should be included in the result of their energies."  It sounded as if he didn't care a hang whether he was or not.

He came and stood in the dazzling white path of light the searchlight made, and I saw he was an officer. I had never seen him before, but there were dozens of officers I did not know. I only met those who came to the house to play auction 

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