, fluctuating wave. The
engineer's thoughts wavered between speculations on the future, fond
memories of June and impatience with the dragging hours. Would nothing
ever happen? Through the earphones now came a jangling, agonized
whine, as if the two antagonistic waves were endowed with life and
actually struggling in the ether.

From time to time his glance wandered to the child, who, having
obtained a head start through her preliminary treatment, now was
stirring fretfully.

Slowly the time plodded by. Jack smoked cigarette after cigarette in
an effort to fight off the drowsiness which loaded his eyelids with
lead.

It must have been three o'clock when a whimper from the divan apprised
them that the child at last had awakened.

"Where's mama?" She blinked into the glare. "I've lost my mama."

"There, there, honey," soothed the doctor, stopping his pacing up and
down the room and picking her up. "Your mama had to go away for
awhile. She'll be back any minute. Let's go find a drink of water. And
I've something for you to play with too." Gently he carried her into
June's bedroom.

Soon he reappeared and patted Jack on the shoulder.

"Our first victory," he said in a broken voice. "She's in perfect
condition and sleeping naturally now. I gave her one of June's old
dolls to play with." He sighed and collapsed into the nearest chair.
"I'm almost dead with the strain of it. Do you think there's a
chance?"

"Three more hours should turn the trick. I don't understand why
Solinski--"

The crash of a shotgun, coming faint but clear from the street below,
brought him up short. The shot was answered by a volley of rifle fire.

* * * * *

Jack almost lost the wave in his excitement, but regained it with a
desperate twist of the wrist. No time for nerves now. He must be calm!

"Go down and hold them until June can get back to relieve me," he
ordered. "Hurry. They may rush her any moment."

The doctor seemed ten years younger as he thrust a revolver into his
pocket, snatched a shotgun from behind the door and ran out.

The commotion had awakened the child, who started whimpering, adding
further to Jack's distractions. Yet he managed, in spite of ghastly
mental pictures of June being torn to pieces by her attackers, to keep
his hands steady.

A few minutes later she slipped into the room and laid her cold cheek
against his before taking her place at the instruments.

"It's all right,