The process of mental induction occasionally does not pause to reason its way, but leaps to an immediate and startling finality, which, by reason of its very suddenness, is for a space like the shock of a sudden blow.

After that one gasp of amazement Philip made no sound.

He spoke no word to Pierre.

In a sudden lull of the wind sweeping over the cabin the ticking of his watch was like the beating of a tiny drum.
Then, slowly, his eyes rose from the silken thread in his fingers and met Pierre's.

Each knew what the other was thinking.