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+Project Gutenberg's The Mystery of the Green Ray, by William Le Queux
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Mystery of the Green Ray
+
+Author: William Le Queux
+
+Release Date: September 16, 2008 [EBook #26637]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN RAY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by D. Alexander and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
+produced from images generously made available by The
+Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ THE MYSTERY OF THE
+ GREEN RAY
+
+ BY
+
+ WILLIAM LE QUEUX
+
+ AUTHOR OF "THE UNNAMED"
+
+ SECOND EDITION
+
+ HODDER AND STOUGHTON
+ LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
+
+ MCMXV
+
+
+
+
+                    CONTENTS
+
+
+                                                   PAGE
+
+                    CHAPTER  I.
+ BESIDE STILL WATERS                                 1
+
+                    CHAPTER  II.
+ THE MAN GOING NORTH                                17
+
+                    CHAPTER  III.
+ MAINLY ABOUT MYRA                                  31
+
+                    CHAPTER  IV.
+ THE BLACK BLOW                                     50
+
+                    CHAPTER  V.
+ IS MORE MYSTERIOUS                                 63
+
+                    CHAPTER  VI.
+ CONTAINS A FURTHER ENIGMA                          78
+
+                    CHAPTER VII.
+ THE CHEMIST'S ROCK                                 91
+
+                    CHAPTER VIII.
+ MISTS OF UNCERTAINTY                              102
+
+                    CHAPTER IX.
+ THE MYSTERY OF SHOLTO                             116
+
+                    CHAPTER X.
+ THE SECRET OF THE ROCK                            126
+
+                    CHAPTER XI.
+
+ HOW THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED                       133
+
+                    CHAPTER XII.
+ WHO IS HILDERMAN?                                 149
+
+                    CHAPTER XIII.
+ THE RED-HAIRED MAN                                167
+
+                    CHAPTER XIV.
+ A FURTHER MYSTERY                                 178
+
+                    CHAPTER XV.
+ CONCERNS AN ILLUSTRATED PAPER                     188
+
+                    CHAPTER XVI.
+ DISCLOSES CERTAIN FACTS                           202
+
+                    CHAPTER XVII.
+ SOME GRAVE FEARS                                  220
+
+                    CHAPTER XVIII.
+ THE TRUTH REVEALED                                235
+
+
+
+
+THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN RAY
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+BESIDE STILL WATERS.
+
+
+The youth in the multi-coloured blazer laughed.
+
+"You'd have to come and be a nurse," he suggested.
+
+"Oh, I'd go as a drummer-boy. I'd look fine in uniform, wouldn't I?"
+the waitress simpered in return.
+
+Dennis Burnham swallowed his liqueur in one savage gulp, pushed back
+his chair, and rose from the table.
+
+"Silly young ass," he said, in a voice loud enough for the object of
+his wrath to hear. "Let's get outside."
+
+The four of us rose, paid our bill, and went out, leaving the youth
+and his flippant companions to themselves. For it was Bank Holiday,
+August the third, 1914, and I think, though it was the shortest and
+most uneventful of all our river "annuals," it is the one which we are
+least likely to forget. On the Saturday Dennis, Jack Curtis, Tommy
+Evans and myself had started from Richmond on our yearly trip up the
+river. Even as we sat in the two punts playing bridge, moored at our
+first camping-place below Kingston Weir, disquieting rumours reached
+us in the form of excited questions from the occupants of passing
+craft. And now, as we rose from the dinner-table at the Magpie,
+Sunbury, two days later, it seemed that war was inevitable.
+
+"What I can't understand," growled Dennis, as we stepped into one of
+the punts and paddled idly across to the lock, "is how any young idiot
+can treat the whole thing as a terrific joke. If we go to war with
+Germany--and it seems we must--it's going to be----Good Heavens! who
+knows what it's going to be!"
+
+"Meaning," said Tom, who never allowed any thought to remain
+half-expressed, "meaning that we are not prepared, and they are. We
+have to step straight into the ring untrained to meet an opponent who
+has been getting ready night and day for the Lord knows how many
+years."
+
+"Still, you know," said Jack, who invariably found the bright spot in
+everything, "we never did any good as a nation until we were pushed."
+
+"We shall be pushed this time," I replied; "and if we do go to war, we
+shall all be wanted."
+
+"And wanted at once," Tom added.
+
+"Which brings me to the point which most concerns us," said Dennis,
+with a serious face. "What are _we_ going to do?"
+
+"It seems to me," I replied, "that there is only one thing we can do.
+If the Government declare war, it is in your cause and mine; and who
+is to fight our battles but you and me?"
+
+"That's it, old man, exactly," said Dennis. "We must appear in person,
+as you lawyers would say. I'm afraid there's not the slightest
+hope of peace being maintained now; and, indeed, in view of the
+circumstances, I should prefer to say there is not the slightest fear
+of it. We can't honourably keep out, so let us hope we shall step in
+at once."
+
+Jack's muttered "hear hear" spoke for us all, and there was silence
+for a minute or two. My thoughts were very far away from the peaceful
+valley of the Thames; they had flown, in fact, to a still more
+peaceful glen in the Western Highlands--but of that anon. I fancy the
+others, too, were thinking of something far removed from the ghastly
+horror of war. Jack was sitting with an open cigarette-case in his
+hand, gazing wistfully at the bank to which we had moored the boat.
+There was a "little girl" in the question. Poor chap; I knew exactly
+what he was thinking; he had my sympathy! The silence became
+uncomfortable, and it was Jack who broke it.
+
+"Give me a match, Tommy," he exclaimed suddenly, "and don't talk so
+much." Tom, who had not spoken a word for several minutes, produced
+the matches from a capacious pocket, and we all laughed rather
+immoderately at the feeble sally.
+
+"As to talking," said Tom, when our natural equanimity had been
+restored, "you all seem to be leaving me to say what we all know has
+to be said. And that is, what is the next item on the programme?"
+
+"I think we had certainly better decide----" Dennis began.
+
+"You old humbug!" exclaimed Tom. "You know perfectly well that we've
+all decided what we are going to do. It is merely the question of
+putting it in words. In some way or other we intend to regard the case
+of Rex _v._ Wilhelm as one in which we personally are concerned. Am I
+right?"
+
+"Scored a possible," said Jack, who had quite recovered his spirits.
+
+"In which case," Tom continued, "we don't expect to be of much
+assistance to our King and country if we go gallivanting up to
+Wallingford, as originally intended. The question, therefore, remains,
+shall we go back by train--if we can find the station here--or shall
+we punt back to Richmond?"
+
+"I don't think we need worry about that," said Dennis. "I vote we go
+back by river; it will be more convenient in every way, and we can
+leave the boats at Messums. If things are not so black as we think
+they are we can step on board again with a light heart, or four light
+hearts, if you prefer it, and start again. What do you say, Ron?"
+
+"I should prefer to paddle back," I replied. "It would be a pity to
+break up our party immediately. I don't want to be sentimental, or
+anything of that sort, but you chaps will agree that we have had some
+very jolly times together in the past, and if we are all going to take
+out our naturalisation papers in the Atkins family, it is just
+possible that we--well, we may not be all together again next year."
+
+"And you, Jack?" asked Dennis.
+
+"Oh, down stream for me," said young Curtis, with what was obviously
+an effort at his usual light-hearted manner. "Think of all the beer
+we've got left." But the laugh with which he accompanied his remark
+was not calculated to deceive any of us, and I am afraid my clumsy
+speech had set him thinking again. So we went "ashore," and had a
+nightcap at the Magpie, where the flippant youth was announcing to an
+admiring circle that if he had half a dozen pals to go with him he
+wouldn't mind joining the army himself! Having scoured the village
+in an unavailing attempt to round up half a pound of butter, we put
+off down stream, and spent the night in the beautiful backwater. No
+one suggested cards after supper, and we lay long into the night
+discussing, as thousands of other people all over the country were
+probably discussing, conscription, espionage, martial law, the
+possibilities of invasion, and the probable duration of the war. I
+doubt very much if we should have gone to sleep at all had we been
+able to foresee the events which the future, in its various ways, held
+in store for each of us. But, as it was, we plunged wholeheartedly
+into what Tommy Evans described as "Life's new interest." We
+positively thrilled at the prospect of army life.
+
+"Think of it," said Jack enthusiastically, "open air all the time.
+Nothing to worry about, no work to do, only manual labour. Why, it's
+going to be one long holiday. Hang it! I've laid drain-pipes on a
+farm--for fun!"
+
+It was past one o'clock when we got out supper. And our appetites lost
+nothing by the prospect of hardships which we treated rather lightly,
+since we entirely failed to appreciate their seriousness. Jack's
+visions of storming ramparts at the point of the bayonet merely added
+flavour to his amazing collation of cold beef, ham, brawn, cold fowl,
+and peaches and cream, with which he insisted on winding-up at nearly
+two in the morning. He would have shouted with laughter had you
+told him that in less than three weeks he would be dashing through
+the enemy's lines with despatches on a red-hot motor-cycle. And
+Tommy--poor old Tommy--well, I fancy he would have been just as
+cheerful, dear old chap, had he known the fate that was in store. For
+to him was to fall the lot which, of all others, everyone--rich and
+poor alike--understands. There is no need for me to repeat the story.
+Even in the rush of a war which has already brought forward some
+thousands of heroes, the reader will remember the glorious exploit
+of Corporal Thomas Evans, in which he won the D.C.M., and also,
+unfortunately, gave his life for his country. It is sufficient to say
+that three men in particular will ever cherish his memory as that of a
+loyal friend, a cheery comrade, a clean, honest, straightforward
+Englishman through and through.
+
+As for Dennis and myself--but I am coming to that.
+
+Having finished our early morning supper, we turned in for a few
+hours' sleep, Jack and Tommy in one boat, Dennis and I in the other.
+But before we did so we stood up, as well as we could under our canvas
+roof, and drank "The King"; and I fancy that in the mind of each of us
+there was more than one other name silently coupled with that toast.
+Then, for the first time in my memory of our intimacy together, we
+solemnly shook hands before turning in. But, try as I would, I
+couldn't sleep. For a long time I lay there, in the beautiful silence
+of the night, my thoughts far away, sleep farther away still.
+Presently I grovelled for my tobacco-pouch.
+
+"Restless, Ron?" Dennis asked, himself evidently quite wide awake.
+
+"Can't sleep at all," I answered. "But don't let me disturb you."
+
+"You're not disturbing me, old man. I can't sleep either. Let's light
+the lamp and smoke."
+
+Accordingly we fished out our pipes and relighted the acetylene lamp,
+which hung from the middle hoop. Jack turned over in his sleep.
+
+"Put out the light, old fellow. Not a cab'net meeting, y'know," he
+murmured drowsily. And by way of compromise I pulled the primitive
+draught curtain between the two boats, and as I sat up to do so I
+noticed with a start that Dennis wore a worried look I had never seen
+before. I lay back, got my pipe going, and waited for him to speak.
+
+"I wonder," he said presently, through the clouds of smoke that hung
+imprisoned beneath our shallow roof--"I wonder if there would have
+been any war if the Germans smoked Jamavana?"
+
+"What's worrying you, Den?" I asked, ignoring his question.
+
+"Worrying me? Why, nothing. I've got nothing to worry about. What
+about you, though? I don't want to butt in on your private affairs,
+but you've a lot more to be worried about than I have."
+
+"I? Oh, nonsense, Dennis," I protested.
+
+"None of that with me, Ron. You know what I mean. There's no point in
+either of us concealing things. This war is going to make a big
+difference to you and Myra McLeod. Now, tell me all about it. What do
+you mean to do, and everything?"
+
+"There isn't much to tell you. You know all about it. We're not
+engaged. Old General McLeod objects to our engagement on account of my
+position. Of course, he's quite right. He's very nice about it, and
+he's always kindness itself to me. You know, of course, that he and my
+father were brother officers? Myra and I have been chums since she was
+four. We love each other, and she would be content to wait, but, in
+the meantime--well, you know my position. I can only describe it in
+the well-worn phrases, 'briefless barrister' and 'impecunious junior.'
+There's a great deal of truth in the weak old joke, Dennis, about the
+many that are called and the few that are briefed. Of course the
+General is right. He says that I ought to leave Myra absolutely alone,
+and neither write to her nor see her, and give her a chance to meet
+someone else, and all that--someone who could keep her among her own
+set. But I tried that once for three months; I didn't answer her
+letters, or write to her, and I worried myself to death very nearly
+about it. But at the end of the three months she came up to town to
+see what it was all about. Gad, how glad I was to see her!"
+
+"I bet you were," said Dennis, sympathetically. "But what d'you mean
+by telling me you'd got nothing to worry about? Now that you're just
+getting things going nicely, and look like doing really well, along
+comes this wretched war, and you join the army, and such practice as
+you have goes to the devil. It's rotten luck, Ronnie, rotten luck."
+
+"It is a bit," I admitted with a sigh. My little bit of hard-earned
+success had meant a lot to me.
+
+"Still," said Dennis, "you've got a thundering lot to be thankful for
+too. To begin with, she'll wait for you, and then, if necessary, marry
+on twopence-halfpenny a year, and make you comfortable on it too. As
+far as her father is concerned, she's very devoted to him, and would
+never do anything to annoy him if she could possibly help it, as I
+easily spotted the night we dined with them at the Carlton. But she's
+made up her mind to be Mrs. Ronald Ewart sooner or later; that I
+_will_ swear!"
+
+"I'm very glad to hear you say so," I answered, "but the thing that
+worries me, of course, is the question as to whether I have any right
+to let this go on. If war is declared----"
+
+"Which it will be," said Dennis.
+
+"Well, then, my practice goes to the devil, as you say. How long after
+the war is it going to be before I could marry one of Myra's maids,
+let alone Myra? And, supposing, of course, that I use the return half
+of my ticket, so to speak, and come back safe and sound, my own
+prospects will be infinitely worse than they were before the war. The
+law, after all, is a luxury, and no one will have a great deal of
+money for luxuries by the time we have finished with it and wiped
+Germany off the map. Besides, if there's no money about, there's
+nothing to go to law over. So there you are, or, rather, there I am."
+
+"What do you intend to do, then?" my friend asked.
+
+"I shall go up to Scotland to-morrow night--well, of course, it's
+to-night, I should say--and see her--and--and----"
+
+"Yes--well, and----"
+
+"Oh, and tell her that it must be all--all over. I shall say that the
+war will make all the difference, that I must join the army, and that
+she must consider herself free to marry someone else, and that, as in
+any case I might never come back, I think it's the best thing for us
+both that she should consider herself free, and--er--and--and consider
+herself free," I ended weakly.
+
+"Just like that?" asked Dennis, with a twinkle in his eye.
+
+"I shall try and put it fairly formally to her," I said, "because, of
+course, I must appear to be sincere about it. I must try and think out
+some way of making her imagine I want it broken off for reasons of my
+own."
+
+Dennis laughed softly.
+
+"You delicious, egotistical idiot," he said. "You don't really imagine
+that you could persuade anyone you met for the first time even that
+you're not in love. By all means do what you think is right, Ron. I
+wouldn't dissuade you for the world. Tell her that she is free. Tell
+her why you are setting her free, and I'll be willing to wager my
+little all that you two ridiculous young people will find yourselves
+tied tighter together than ever. By all means do your best to be a
+good little boy, Ronald, and do what you conceive to be your duty."
+
+"You needn't pull my leg about it," I said, though somewhat
+half-heartedly.
+
+"I'm not pulling your leg, as you put it," Dennie answered, in a more
+serious tone. "If ever I saw honesty and truth and love and loyalty
+looking out of a girl's eyes, that girl is Myra McLeod."
+
+"Thank you for that, Den," I answered simply. There was little
+sentiment between us. Thank heaven, there was something more.
+
+"And so you see, you lucky dog, you'll go out to the front, and come
+back loaded with honours and blushes, and marry the girl of your
+dreams, and live happy ever after." And Dennis sighed.
+
+"Why the sigh?" I asked. "Oh, come now," I added, suddenly
+remembering. "Fair exchange, you know. You haven't told me what was
+worrying you."
+
+"My dear old fellow, don't be ridiculous, there's nothing worrying
+me."
+
+I pressed him to no purpose. He refused to admit that he had a care in
+the world, and so we fell to talking of matters connected with the
+routine of army life, how long we should be before we got to the
+front, the sport we four should have in our rest time behind the
+trenches, our determination to stick together at all costs, etc.
+Suddenly Dennis sat bolt upright.
+
+"Gad!" he cried savagely, "if you beggars weren't going, I could stick
+it. But you three leaving me behind, it's----"
+
+"Leaving you behind?" I echoed in astonishment. "But why, old man?
+Aren't you coming too?"
+
+"I hope so," said Dennis bitterly; "I hope so with all my heart, and I
+shall have a jolly good shot at it. But I know what it will be, worse
+luck."
+
+"But why, Dennis?" I asked again. "I don't understand."
+
+"Of course you don't," he replied, "but you've got your own troubles,
+and there's no point in worrying about me, in any case."
+
+I begged him to tell me; I pleaded our old friendship, and the fact
+that I had taken him into my confidence in the various vicissitudes of
+my own love affair. It struck me at the time that it was I who should
+have been indebted to him for his patient sympathy and help; and here
+he was, poor old fellow, with a real, live trouble of his own,
+refusing to bother me with it.
+
+"So you've just got to own up, old man," I finished.
+
+"Oh, it's really nothing," said Dennis miserably. "I'm a crock, that's
+all. A useless hulk of unnecessary lumber."
+
+"How, my dear chap?" I asked incredulously. Here was Dennis Burnham,
+who had put up a record for the mile in our school days, and lifted
+the public school's middle-weight pot, a champion swimmer, a massive
+young man of six-foot-two in his socks, calling himself a crock.
+
+"You remember that summer we did the cruise from Southampton to
+Stranraer?"
+
+"Heavens! yes," I exclaimed, "and we capsized the cutter in the
+Solway, and you were laid up in a farmhouse at Whithorn with rheumatic
+fever. Am I ever likely to forget it?"
+
+"I'm not, anyway," said Dennis, ruefully. "That rheumatic fever left
+me with a weak heart. I strained it rowing up at Oxford, you remember,
+and that fever business put the last touches on it for all practical
+purposes."
+
+"Are you sure, old man?" I asked. It seemed impossible that a great
+big chap like Dennis, the picture of health, should have anything
+seriously wrong with him.
+
+"I'm dead sure, Ron; I wish I weren't. Not that it matters much, of
+course; but just now, when one has a chance to do something decent for
+one's Motherland and justify one's existence, it hits a bit hard."
+
+"Is it serious?" I asked--"really serious?"
+
+"Sufficient to bar me from joining you chaps, though I'll see if I can
+sneak past the doctor. You remember about three weeks ago we were to
+have played a foursome out at Hendon, and I didn't turn up? I said
+afterwards that I had been called out of town, and had quite forgotten
+to wire."
+
+"Which was extremely unlike you," I interposed; "but go on."
+
+"Well, as a matter of fact, I was on my way. I was a bit late, and
+when I got outside Golders Green Tube Station I ran for a 'bus. The
+rest of the day I spent in the Cottage Hospital. No, I didn't faint.
+The valve struck, and I simply lay on the pavement a crumpled mass of
+semi-conscious humanity till they carted me off on the ambulance. It's
+the fourth time it's happened."
+
+"Of course you had good advice?" I asked anxiously.
+
+"Heavens! yes," he exclaimed; "any amount of the best. And they all
+say the same thing--rest, be careful, no sudden excitement, no strain,
+and I may live for ever--a creaking door."
+
+"My dear old Den," I said, for I was deeply touched. "Why didn't you
+tell me?"
+
+"Plenty of worries of your own, old man," he answered, more
+cheerfully; "and, besides, it would have spoiled everything. You
+fellows would have been nursing me behind my back, to use an Irishism,
+and trying to prevent my noticing it. You know as well as I do that if
+you had known I should have been a skeleton at the feast."
+
+"You must promise me two things," I said presently. "One is that you
+won't try to join the army; there is sure to be a rush of recruits in
+the next few days, and the doctors will be flurried, and may skip
+through their work roughshod. The other is that you will take care of
+yourself, run no risks, and do nothing rash while we are away."
+
+The first he refused. He said he must do what he could to get through,
+if only to satisfy his conscience; but he made me the second promise,
+and solemnly gave me his word that he would do nothing that would put
+him in any danger. Then at last, at his suggestion, we turned in; he
+insisted that I had an all-night journey in front of me. And so
+eventually I fell asleep, saddened by the knowledge of my friend's
+trouble, but somewhat relieved that I had extracted from him a promise
+to take care of himself.
+
+Little did I dream that he would break his promise to save one who was
+dearer to me than life itself, or that I should owe all my present and
+future happiness to poor old Dennis's inability to join the army.
+Truly, as events were to prove, "he did his bit."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE MAN GOING NORTH.
+
+
+We "made" Richmond about half-past eleven, and completed the necessary
+arrangements for the housing of the boats and the disposal of our
+superfluous fodder, as Jack called it, for by this time we had all
+made up our minds that the war was inevitable.
+
+The bustle of mobilisation had already taken possession of the
+streets, and as we stepped out of Charing Cross Station we stumbled
+into a crowd of English Bluejackets and Tommies and French reservists
+in Villiers Street. We parted for the afternoon, each to attend to his
+private affairs, and arranged to meet again at the Grand Hotel Grill
+Room for an early dinner, as I had to catch the 7.55 from King's
+Cross.
+
+I dashed out to Hampstead to my flat, and packed the necessary wearing
+apparel, taking care to include my fly-book and my favourite
+split-cane trout rod in my kit. I should only be in Scotland for a
+couple of days, but I knew that I should be fishing with Myra at least
+one of them, and no borrowed rod is a patch on one's own tried
+favourite. I snatched an half-hour or so to write to the few relatives
+I have and tell them that I was joining the army after a hurried visit
+to Scotland to say good-bye to Myra. And then I got my kit to Dennis's
+rooms in Panton Street, Haymarket, just in time to have a chat with
+him before we joined the others at the Grand Hotel. I found him
+hopefully getting things ready for a long absence, sorting out
+unanswered letters, putting away papers, etc. On the table was an open
+copy of a stores catalogue. He had been trying to find suitable
+presents for his two small step-sisters. Dennis invariably thought of
+himself last of all, and then usually at someone else's request.
+
+"Well, old man," I asked, "how do you feel about it now?"
+
+"Rotten, Ronnie," he replied, with a rueful smile. "I've been on the
+'phone to my silly doctor chap, and he shouted with laughter at me.
+Still, I shall have a jolly good shot at it as soon as the thing is
+definite."
+
+"I only pray to heaven," I said seriously, "that no slipshod fool of a
+doctor lets you through."
+
+"They won't let me in, old chap; no such luck. It's a ghastly outlook.
+What on earth am I to do with myself while the war lasts?"
+
+"My dear chap," I exclaimed, "it won't be as bad as all that. There
+will be thousands of men who won't go to the war. I shan't be
+surprised if you see very little difference about town even when the
+war's in full swing. You can't go, although you want to, and it's
+jolly bad luck, old man. Don't think I don't understand, but, believe
+me, you won't be the only man left in London by a million or two."
+
+"I know," he said penitently, "I'm grousing and worrying you. Sorry!
+But I can see you setting out for the Temple in the morning and
+leaving your house on fire. It wouldn't make it easier simply because
+you knew you weren't able to do anything to put out the fire. In fact,
+it would make it a jolly lot worse. Still, we'll cut that and change
+the subject. When you get back from Invermalluch give me a look up. I
+expect I shall be here. And, of course, give my kindest regards to
+Miss McLeod--oh, and the General," he added, as an afterthought.
+
+"I will, indeed," I promised readily, "and I'll wire you the train I'm
+coming back by. I should like you to meet it, and we can spend the few
+remaining days I have together. If you don't get past the doctor I
+should like you to keep your eye on one or two things for me while I'm
+away."
+
+"Of course, anything you like. The more the merrier," he answered
+readily; and the poor fellow brightened visibly at the thought of
+being able to do something for a pal.
+
+We taxied round the corner with my kit, and joined the others at the
+grill room. They were both in the highest of spirits, Jack, of course,
+in particular. He had been told that his intimate knowledge of motors
+and motor-cycles would be of great advantage to him, and he had been
+advised on all hands to join as a despatch-rider. In imagination he
+already saw himself up to the most weird pranks on his machine, many
+of which, much to the gratification of his friends, and just as much
+to his own astonishment, were proved later to have a solid foundation
+in fact. Over dinner we discussed the question of applying for
+commissions.
+
+"Oh, dash it, no," said Jack; "I'm going to Berlin on the old
+snorter."
+
+"Commissions are off--quite out of the question," Tommy agreed with
+emphasis. "To begin with, it means waiting, which is absurd; and in
+the second place I object to any attempt to travel first-class. It's
+silly and snobbish, to put the kindest construction on it. If I've got
+to join this excursion I'm willing to go where they like to put me,
+and if necessary I'll hang on behind."
+
+I record this remark because it was the last that I ever heard poor
+Tommy Evans make in this connection; and I think the reader will agree
+it was just what one would have expected of him.
+
+We said good-bye after dinner. They all wanted to come to the station
+to see me off, but I was anxious to be alone with Dennis.
+
+The others in any case had plenty to do, and I could scarcely let them
+sacrifice their "last few hours of liberty" to come and see me off. I
+rather expected that the excitement of the war would have prevented a
+lot of people travelling, but the reverse was the case. There seemed
+to be more people than ever on the platform, and I could not get a
+corner seat even in the Fort William coach. I bundled my things into
+a carriage and took up as much room as I could, and then Dennis and I
+strolled about the platform until the train was due to start.
+
+"Strange mixtures of humanity you see on a railway platform," Dennis
+remarked presently.
+
+"Very," I agreed. "I daresay there are some very curious professions
+represented here."
+
+"This chap, for instance," said Dennis, indicating a youth in a tweed
+jacket and flannel trousers. "He might be anything from an M.P.'s
+private secretary to an artist's model, for all we know. I should say
+he's a journalist; he knows his way through a crowd as only
+journalists do."
+
+"A typical Yorkshire cattle-dealer in his Sunday best," I suggested,
+as we passed another passenger. And so we went the length of the
+platform making rough guesses as to the professions of my fellow
+travellers. Suddenly I noticed a tall man, wearing a tweed cap and a
+long covert-coat, his hands in his pockets, a stumpy cigar stuck in
+the corner of his mouth. His hair was gray, and his face bore signs of
+a tough struggle in early youth. His complexion was of that curious
+gray-yellow one sees frequently in America and occasionally in
+Denmark--something quite distinct from the bronze-gray of many
+colonials. I nudged Dennis.
+
+"What did you make of that?" I asked him after we had passed.
+
+"I should be much more interested to know what 'that' made of us," he
+replied.
+
+"Nothing, I should think," I answered carelessly. "Why, the man's eyes
+were nearly closed, he was half asleep. I bet he hasn't taken the
+slightest notice of anyone for the past ten minutes. You could commit
+a murder under his nose and he wouldn't see it."
+
+"I think not," said Dennis quietly. "I fancy that if you took out a
+cigarette-case as you passed him he would be able to tell you
+afterwards how many cigarettes you had left in the case, what brand
+they were, and what the monogram on the front was. If you've any
+murders to commit, Ronnie, I should be careful to see that our
+American friend is some thousands of miles away."
+
+"Good heavens, you old sleuth!" I exclaimed in astonishment. "I never
+saw a more innocent-looking man in my life."
+
+"I hate innocent people," said Dennis emphatically; "they are usually
+dangerous, and seldom half as innocent as they look."
+
+"But what makes you think this man is only pretending to look like a
+dreaming, unobservant idiot, and why do you call him American so
+definitely?"
+
+"He may or may not be American; but we have to give him a name for
+purposes of classification," Dennis explained. "In any case his
+overcoat was made in the States; the cut of the lapels is quite
+unmistakable. I knew an American who tried everywhere to get a coat
+cut like that over here, and failed. As to his being observant, you
+seem to have overlooked one important fact. There the man stands,
+apparently half asleep. Occasionally he displays a certain amount of
+life--tucks his papers more tightly under his arms, and so on. Now,
+the man who has been dreaming on a station platform and is obviously
+going by the train would wake up to look at the clock, or glance round
+to see how many are travelling, and generally take an interest in the
+bustle of the station. But this man doesn't. Why? Because he only
+wakes up when his interest wanders, and that is only when he has seen
+all he wants to see for the moment. When we pass him the second time
+he will probably appear to be more awake, unless there is someone else
+passing him in the other direction, simply because he has seen us and
+sized us up and dismissed us as of no interest; or, more likely,
+stowed us away in his capacious memory, and, having no further use for
+us, he forgets to appear disinterested."
+
+"Good Lord, Dennis!" I exclaimed, "I'd no idea you ever noticed things
+so keenly. What do you think he is--a detective?"
+
+"Either that or a criminal. They are the same type of mind. One is
+positive and the other negative, that's all. We'll turn back and test
+him as we pass him. Talk golf, or fishing, or something."
+
+So we commenced a half-hearted conversation on trout flies, and as we
+approached "the American" I was explaining the deadly nature of the
+Red Palmer after a spate and the advisability of including Greenwell's
+Glory on the same cast. Unfortunately, as we passed our man there were
+three other people coming towards us, and he was gazing over the top
+of the carriage with the same dreaming look that had, according to
+Dennis, deceived me before. But we were hardly abreast of him when his
+stick shot up in front of us. His arm never moved at all; it was done
+with a quick jerk of the wrist.
+
+"You've dropped a paper, sir," he said to Dennis, to my utter
+astonishment, for I had seen no paper dropped. Dennis turned quickly,
+and picked up a letter which was lying on the platform behind him.
+
+"I'm very much obliged, sir; thank you," said Dennis, as he put the
+letter in his pocket.
+
+"I never saw you drop that," I exclaimed when we were safely out of
+earshot. "Did you?"
+
+"There you are," my friend cried triumphantly. "You were walking
+beside me and you didn't spot it, and he was some distance away and he
+did; and you say he was half asleep."
+
+"I say, Den," I exclaimed, laughing, "d'you think it's going to be
+safe to travel on this train? I wonder where he's going?"
+
+Then we dismissed the man from our minds. The train was going in six
+minutes, and I joined the crowd round the rug and pillow barrow, and
+prepared to make myself comfortable. Leaving everything to the last
+minute, as most travellers do, we had a hurried stirrup-cup in view of
+the fact that I was about to "gang awa'," and as the train glided out
+of the station Dennis turned to wire for my breakfast-basket at
+Crianlarich. The one thing that it is important to do when travelling
+on the West Highland Railway I had forgotten! We had not passed
+Potter's Bar before I decided that it would be impossible to sleep, so
+I ferreted out the attendant and bribed him to put me into a
+first-class carriage. Better still, he showed me into a sleeper. I was
+dog-tired, and in ten minutes fell fast asleep. I awoke for a moment
+or two as the train snorted into a station and drew up. I dozed again
+for some time, and then the door of my sleeper opened and who should
+look in but "the American."
+
+"Say, I beg your pardon," he exclaimed apologetically. "My mistake."
+
+"Not at all," I replied. "Where are we now?" For the train was still
+standing.
+
+"Edinburgh," he answered. "Just leaving. Sorry to disturb you."
+
+I again assured him that there was no harm done, and he turned and
+left me, the tassels of his Jaeger dressing-gown trailing after him.
+Then I fell asleep again, and woke up as we left Whistlefield. I had
+finished my wretched ablutions--for an early morning wash on a train
+is always a wretched business--as we reached Crianlarich. I was not
+long in claiming my breakfast; and when the passengers in the
+refreshment-room had finished their coffee--which seems to be the time
+when the train is due to leave, and not _vice-versâ_, as might be
+expected--the guard was standing on the platform, flag in hand, on the
+point of blowing his whistle. Suddenly the head of the American shot
+out of the window of his carriage--no other expression describes it.
+
+"Say, conductor," he exclaimed angrily, "where's my breakfast?"
+
+Surely Dennis had been right about the nationality.
+
+"What name might it be, sir?" asked the guard.
+
+"Hilderman--J. G. Hilderman. Ordered by telegraph."
+
+"I'll see, sir," said the guard, dashing into the refreshment-room. It
+did not seem to matter when the train started; but, after a further
+heated argument, in which the official refused to wait while a couple
+of eggs were being fried, Mr. Hilderman was supplied with a pot of
+coffee, some cold ham, and dried toast, and we recommenced our belated
+journey. I reached Fort William and changed on to the Mallaig train,
+as did Mr. Hilderman, on whom, after the breakfast episode, I had
+begun to look with an affectionate and admiring regard. The man who
+can keep a train waiting in Great Britain while the guard gets him his
+breakfast must be very human after all. Most of the way on the
+beautiful journey through Lochaber I leaned with my head out of the
+window, drinking in the gorgeous air and admiring the luxurious
+scenery of the mountain side. But, in view of the hilly nature of the
+track and the quality of the coal employed, it is always a dangerous
+adventure on the West Highland Railway, and presently I found myself
+with a big cinder in my eye. I was trying to remove the cause of my
+discomfort, and at the same time swearing softly, I am afraid, when
+Hilderman came up.
+
+"I guess I'm just the man you're looking for," he said. "Show me."
+
+In less time than it takes to tell the offending cinder was removed,
+and I was amazed at the delicacy and certainty of his touch. I thanked
+him profusely, and indeed I was really grateful to him. Naturally
+enough, we fell into conversation--the easy, broad conversation of two
+men who have never seen each other before and expect never to see each
+other again, but are quite willing to be friends in the meantime.
+
+"Terrible news, this," he said presently, pulling a copy of the
+_Glasgow Herald_ from his pocket. "I suppose you got it at Fort
+William?"
+
+"No," I said. "I didn't leave the train. I wasn't thinking of
+newspapers. What is it?"
+
+"A state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany as from
+twelve o'clock last night."
+
+"Ah!" said I. "It has come, then." And I was surprised that I had
+forgotten all about the war, which was actually the cause of my
+presence there. I noticed with some curiosity that Hilderman looked
+out of the window with a strangely tense air, his lips firmly pressed
+together, his eyes wide open and staring. He was certainly awake now.
+But in a moment he turned to me with a charming smile.
+
+"You know, I'm an American," he said. "But this hits me--hits me hard.
+There's a calm and peaceful, friendly hospitality about this island of
+yours that I like--like a lot. My own country reminds me too much of
+my own struggles for existence. For nearly forty years I fought for
+breath in America, and, but that I like now and again to run over and
+have a look round, you can keep the place as far as I'm concerned.
+I've been about here now for a good many years--not just this part,
+for this is nearly new to me, but about the country--and I feel that
+this is my quarrel, and I should like to have a hand in it."
+
+"Perhaps America may join in yet," I suggested.
+
+"Not she," he cried, with a laugh. "America! Not on your life. Why,
+she's afraid of civil war. She don't know which of her own citizens
+are her friends and which ain't. She's tied hand and foot. She can't
+even turn round long enough to whip Mexico. Don't you ever expect
+America to join in anything except family prayer, my boy. That's safe.
+You know where you are, and it don't matter if you don't agree about
+the wording of a psalm. If an American was told off to shoot a German,
+he'd ten to one turn round and say: 'Here, hold on a minute; that's my
+uncle!'"
+
+"You think all the Germans in the States prefer their fatherland to
+their adopted country, or are they most of them spies?"
+
+"Spies?" said Hilderman, "I don't believe in spies. It stands to
+reason there can't be much spying done in any country. Over here, for
+instance, for every German policeman in this country--for that's all a
+spy can be--there are about a thousand British policemen. What chance
+has the spy? You don't seriously believe in them, do you?" he added,
+smiling, as he offered me a Corona cigar.
+
+"I don't know," I said doubtfully. I didn't want to argue with my good
+Samaritan. "There is no doubt a certain amount of spying done; but, of
+course, our policemen are hardly trained to cope with it. I daresay
+the whole business is very greatly exaggerated."
+
+"You bet it is, my boy," he replied emphatically. "Going far?" he
+asked, suddenly changing the subject.
+
+"North of Loch Hourn," I answered.
+
+"Oh!" said Hilderman, with renewed interest. "Glenelg?"
+
+"I take the boat to Glenelg and then drive back," I explained. I was
+in a mood to tell him just where I was going, and why, and all about
+myself; but I recollected, with an effort, that I was talking to a
+total stranger.
+
+"Drive back?" he repeated after me, with a sudden return to his dreamy
+manner. Then, just as suddenly, he woke up again. "Where are we now?"
+he asked.
+
+"Passing over Morar bridge," I explained.
+
+"Dear me--yes, of course!" he exclaimed, with a glance out of the
+window. "Well, I must pack up my wraps. Good-bye, Mr. Ewart; I'm so
+glad to have met you. Your country's at war, and you look to me a very
+likely young man to do your best. Well, good-bye and good luck. I only
+wish I could join you."
+
+"I wish you could," I replied heartily. "I shall certainly do my best.
+And many thanks for your kind assistance."
+
+And so we parted, and returned to our respective compartments to put
+our things together; for our journey--the rail part of it, at any
+rate--was nearly over. And it was not until long afterwards that I
+realised that he had called me by my name, and I had never told him
+what it was.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+MAINLY ABOUT MYRA.
+
+
+The train slowed down into Mallaig station. I thrilled with
+anticipation, for now I had only the journey on the boat, and Myra
+would be waiting for me at Glenelg. The train had hardly stopped when
+I seized my bag and jumped out on to the platform. The next instant I
+was nearly knocked back into the carriage again. A magnificent Great
+Dane had jumped at me with a deep bark of flattering welcome, and
+planted his paws on my shoulders.
+
+"Sholto, my dear old man!" I cried in excitement, dropping my bag and
+looking round expectantly. It was Myra's dog, and there, sure enough,
+was a beautiful vision of brown eyes and brown-gold hair, in a
+heather-coloured Burberry costume, running down the platform to meet
+me.
+
+"Well--darling?" I said, as I met her half-way.
+
+"Well?" she whispered, as she took my hand, and I looked into the
+depths of those wonderful eyes. Truly I was a lucky dog. The world was
+a most excellent place, full of delightful people; and even if I were
+an impecunious young barrister I was richer than Croesus in the
+possession of those beautiful brown eyes, which looked on all the
+world with the gentle affection of a tender and indulgent sister, but
+which looked on me with----Oh! hang it all!--a fellow can't write
+about these sort of things when they affect him personally. Besides,
+they belong to me--thank God!
+
+"I got your telegram, dear," said Myra, as we strolled out of the
+station behind the porter who had appropriated my bag. Sholto brought
+up the rear. He had too great an opinion of his own position to be
+jealous of me--or at any rate he was too dignified to show it--and he
+had always admitted me into the inner circle of his friendship in a
+manner that was very charming, if not a little condescending.
+
+"Did you, darling?" I said, in reply to Myra's remark.
+
+"Yes; it was delivered first thing this morning, and father was very
+pleased about it."
+
+"Really!" I exclaimed. "I _am_ glad. I was afraid he might be rather
+annoyed."
+
+"I was a little bit surprised myself," she confessed, "though I'm sure
+I don't know why I should be. Dad's a perfect dear--he always was and
+he always will be. But he has been very determined about our
+engagement. When I told him you'd wired you were coming he was
+tremendously pleased. He kept on saying, 'I'm glad; that's good news,
+little woman, very good news. 'Pon my soul I'm doocid glad!' He said
+you were a splendid fellow--I can't think what made him imagine
+that--but he said it several times, so I suppose he had some reason
+for it. I was frightfully pleased. I like you to be a splendid fellow,
+Ron!"
+
+I was very glad to hear that the old General was really pleased to
+hear of my visit. I had intended to stay at the Glenelg Hotel, as I
+could hardly invite myself to Invermalluch Lodge, even though I had
+known the old man all my life. Accordingly I took it as a definite
+sign that his opposition was wearing down when Myra told me I was
+expected at the house.
+
+"And he said," she continued, "that he never heard such ridiculous
+nonsense as your saying you were coming to the hotel, and that if you
+preferred a common inn to the house that had been good enough for him
+and his fathers before him, you could stop away altogether. So there!"
+
+"Good--that's great!" I said enthusiastically. "But did you come over
+by the boat from Glenelg, or what?"
+
+"No, dear; I came in the motor-boat, so we don't need to hang about
+the pier here. We can either go straight home or wait a bit, whichever
+you like. I wanted to meet you, and I thought you'd rather come back
+with me in the motor-boat than jolt about in the stuffy old _Sheila_."
+
+"Rather, dear; I should say I would," said I--and a lot more besides,
+which has nothing to do with the story. Suddenly Myra's motherly
+instinct awoke.
+
+"Have you had breakfast?" she asked.
+
+"Yes, dear--at Crianlarich. The only decent meal to be got on a
+railway in this country is a Crianlarich breakfast."
+
+"Well, in that case you're ready for lunch. It's gone twelve. I could
+do with something myself, incidentally, and I want to talk to you
+before we start for home. Let's have lunch here."
+
+I readily agreed, and after calling Sholto, who was being conducted on
+a tour of inspection by the parson's dog, we strolled up the hill to
+the hotel. As we entered the long dining-room we came upon Hilderman,
+seated at one of the tables with his back to us.
+
+"Yes," he was saying to the waiter, "I have been spending the week-end
+on the Clyde in a yacht. I joined the train at Ardlui this morning,
+and I can tell you----"
+
+I didn't wait to hear any more. Rather by instinct than as a result of
+any definite train of thought, I led Myra quickly behind a Japanese
+screen to a small table by a side window. After all, it was no
+business of mine if Hilderman wished to say he had joined the train at
+Ardlui. He probably had his own reasons. Possibly Dennis was right,
+and the man was a detective. But I had seen him at King's Cross and
+again at Edinburgh before we reached Ardlui, so I thought it might
+embarrass him if I walked in on the top of his assertion that he had
+just come from the Clyde. However, Myra was with me, which was much
+more important, and I dismissed Hilderman and his little fib from my
+mind.
+
+"Ronnie," said Myra, in the middle of lunch, "you haven't said
+anything about the war."
+
+"No, dear," I answered clumsily. "It----" It was an astonishingly
+difficult thing to say when it came to saying it.
+
+"And yet that was what you came to see me about?"
+
+"Yes, darling. You see, I----"
+
+"I know, dear. You've come to tell me that you're going to enlist. I'm
+glad, Ronnie, very glad--and very, very proud."
+
+Myra turned away and looked out of the window.
+
+"I hate people who talk a lot about their duty," I said; "but it
+obviously is my duty, and I know that's what you would want me to do."
+
+"Of course, dear, I wouldn't have you do anything else." And she
+turned and smiled at me, though there were tears in her dear eyes.
+"And I shall try to be brave, very brave, Ronnie. I'm getting a big
+girl now," she added pluckily, attempting a little laugh. And though,
+of course, we afterwards discussed the regiment I was to join, and how
+the uniform would suit me, and how you kept your buttons clean, and a
+thousand other things, that was the last that was said about it from
+that point of view. There are some people who never need to say
+certain things--or at any rate there are some things that never need
+be said between certain people.
+
+After lunch we strolled round the "fish-table," a sort of subsidiary
+pier on which the fish are auctioned, and listened to the excited
+conversations of the fish-curers, gutters, and fishermen. It was a
+veritable babel--the mournful intonation of the East Coast, the broad
+guttural of the Broomielaw, mingled with the shrill Gaelic scream of
+the Highlands, and the occasional twang of the cockney tourist. Having
+retrieved Sholto, who was inspecting some fish which had been laid out
+to dry in the middle of the village street, and packed him safely in
+the bows, we set out to sea, Myra at the engine, while I took the
+tiller. As we glided out of the harbour I turned round, impelled by
+some unknown instinct. The parson's dog was standing at the head of
+the main pier, seeing us safely off the premises, and beside him was
+the tall figure of my friend J. G. Hilderman. As I looked up at him I
+wondered if he recognised me; but it was evident he did, for he raised
+his cap and waved to me. I returned the compliment as well as I could,
+for just then Myra turned and implored me not to run into the
+lighthouse.
+
+"Someone you know?" she asked, as I righted our course.
+
+"Only a chap I met on the train," I explained.
+
+"It looks like the tenant of Glasnabinnie, but I couldn't be certain.
+I've never met him, and I've only seen him once."
+
+"Glasnabinnie!" I exclaimed, with a new interest. "Really! Why, that's
+quite close to you, surely?"
+
+"Just the other side of the loch, directly opposite us. A good swimmer
+could swim across, but a motor would take days to go round. So we're
+really a long way off, and unless he turns up at some local function
+we're not likely to meet him. He's said to be an American millionaire;
+but then every American in these parts is supposed to have at least
+one million of money."
+
+"Do you know anything about him--what he does, or did?" I asked.
+
+"Absolutely nothing," she replied, "except, of course, the silly
+rumours that one always hears about strangers. He took Glasnabinnie in
+May--in fact, the last week of April, I believe. That rather surprised
+us, because it was very early for summer visitors. But he showed his
+good sense in doing so, as the country was looking gorgeous--Sgriol,
+na Ciche, and the Cuchulins under snow. I've heard (Angus McGeochan,
+one of our crofters, told me) he was an inventor, and had made a few
+odd millions out of a machine for sticking labels on canned meat. That
+and the fact that he is a very keen amateur photographer is the
+complete history of Mr. Hilderman so far as I know it. Anyway, he has
+a gorgeous view, hasn't he? It's nearly as good as ours."
+
+"He has indeed," I agreed readily. "But I don't think Hilderman can be
+very wealthy; no fishing goes with Glasnabinnie, there's no yacht
+anchorage, and there's no road to motor on. How does he get about?"
+
+"He's got a beautiful Wolseley launch," said Myra jealously, "a
+perfect beauty. He calls her the _Baltimore II._ She was lying
+alongside the _Hermione_ at Mallaig when we left. Oh! look up the
+loch, Ron! Isn't it a wonderful view?"
+
+And so the magnificent purple-gray summit of Sgor na Ciche, at the
+head of Loch Nevis, claimed our attention--(that and other matters of
+a personal nature)--and J. G. Hilderman went completely from our
+minds. Myra was a real Highlander of the West. She lived for its
+mountains and lochs, its rivers and burns, its magnificent coast and
+its fascinating animal life. She knew every little creek and inlet,
+every rock and shallow, every reef and current from Fort William to
+the Gair Loch. I have even heard it said that when she was twelve she
+could draw an accurate outline of Benbecula and North Uist, a feat
+that would be a great deal beyond the vast majority of grown-ups
+living on those islands themselves. As we turned to cross the head of
+Loch Hourn, Myra pointed out Glasnabinnie, nestling like a lump of
+grey lichen at the foot of the Croulin Burn. Anchored off the point
+was a small steam yacht, either a converted drifter or built on
+drifter lines.
+
+"Our friend has visitors," said Myra, "and he's not there to receive
+them. How very rude! That yacht is often there. She only makes about
+eight knots as a rule, although she gives you the impression she could
+do more. You see, she's been built for strength and comfort more than
+for looks. She calls at Glasnabinnie in the afternoons sometimes, and
+is there after dark, and sails off before six." (Myra was always out
+of doors before six in the morning, whatever the weather.) "From which
+I gather," she continued, "that the owner lives some distance away and
+sleeps on board. She can't be continuously cruising, or she would make
+a longer stay sometimes."
+
+"You seem to know the ways of yacht-owners, dear," I said. "Hullo!
+what is that hut on the cliff above the falls? That's new, surely."
+
+"Oh! that beastly thing," said Myra in disgust. "That's his, too. A
+smoking-room and study, I believe. He had it built there because he
+has an uninterrupted view that sweeps the sea."
+
+"Why 'beastly thing'?" I asked. "It's too far away to worry you,
+though it isn't exactly pretty, and I know you hate to see anything in
+the shape of a new building going up."
+
+"Oh! it annoys me," she answered airily, "and somehow it gets on
+daddy's nerves. You see, it has a funny sort of window which goes all
+round the top of the hut. This is evidently divided into several small
+windows, because they swing about in the wind, and when the sun shines
+on them they catch the eye even at our distance. And, as I say, they
+get on daddy's nerves, which have not been too good the last week or
+two."
+
+"Never mind," I consoled her; "he'll be all right when his friends
+come up for the Twelfth. I think the doctors are wrong to say that he
+should never have a lot of people hanging round him, because there can
+surely be no harm in letting him see a few friends. I certainly think
+he's right to make an exception for the grouse."
+
+"Grouse!" sniffed Myra. "They come for the Twelfth because they like
+to be seen travelling north on the eleventh! And I have to entertain
+them. And some of the ones who come for the first time tell me they
+suppose I know all the pretty walks round about! And in any case," she
+finished, in high indignation, "can you imagine _me_ entertaining
+anybody?"
+
+"Yes, my dear, I can," I replied; and the "argument" kept us busy
+till we reached Invermalluch. The old General came down to the
+landing-stage to meet us, and was much more honestly pleased to see
+me than I had ever known him before.
+
+"Ah! Ronald, my boy!" he exclaimed heartily. "'Pon my soul, I'm glad
+to see you. It's true, I suppose? You've heard the news?"
+
+The question amused me, because it was so typical of the old fellow.
+Here had I come from London, where the Cabinet was sitting night and
+day, to a spot miles from the railway terminus, to be asked if I had
+heard the news!
+
+"You mean the war, of course?" I replied.
+
+"Yes; it's come, my boy, at last. Come to find me on the shelf! Ah,
+well! It had to come sooner or later, and now we're not ready. Ah,
+well, we must all do what we can. Begad, I'm glad to see you, my boy,
+thundering glad. It's a bit lonely here sometimes for the little
+woman, you know; but she never complains." (In point of fact, she even
+contrived to laugh, and take her father's arm affectionately in
+her's.) "And besides, there are many things I want to have a talk with
+you about, Ronald--many things. By the way, had lunch?"
+
+"We lunched at Mallaig, thank you, sir," I explained.
+
+"Well, well, Myra will see you get all you want--won't you, girlie?"
+he said.
+
+"I say, Ronnie," Myra asked, as we reached the house, "are you very
+tired after your journey, or shall we have a cup of tea and then take
+our rods for an hour or so?"
+
+I stoutly declared I was not the least tired--as who could have been
+in the circumstances?--and I should enjoy an hour's fishing with Myra
+immensely. So I ran upstairs and had a bath, and changed, and came
+down to find the General waiting for me. Myra had disappeared into the
+kitchen regions to give first-aid to a bare-legged crofter laddie who
+had cut his foot on a broken bottle.
+
+"Well, my boy," said the old man, "you've come to tell us something.
+What is it?"
+
+"Oh!" I replied, as lightly as I could, "it is simply that we are in
+for a row with Germany, and I've got a part in the play, so to speak.
+I'm enlisting."
+
+"Good boy," he chuckled, "good boy! Applying for a commission, I
+suppose--man of your class and education, and all that--eh?"
+
+"Oh, heavens, no!" I laughed. "I shall just walk on with the crowd, to
+continue the simile."
+
+"Glad to hear it, my boy--I am, indeed. 'Pon my soul, you're a good
+lad, you know--quite a good lad. Your father would have been proud of
+you. He was a splendid fellow--a thundering splendid fellow. We always
+used to say, 'You can always trust Ewart to do the straight, clean
+thing; he's a gentleman.' I hope your comrades will say the same of
+you, my boy."
+
+"By the way, sir," I added, "I also intended to tell you that in the
+circumstances I--I----Well, I mean to say that I shan't--shan't
+expect Myra to consider herself under--under any obligations to me."
+
+However difficult it was for me to say it, I had been quite certain
+that the old General would think it was the right thing to say, and
+would be genuinely grateful to me for saying it off my own bat without
+any prompting from him. So I was quite unprepared for the outburst
+that followed.
+
+"You silly young fellow!" he cried. "'Pon my soul, you are a silly
+young chap, you know. D'you mean to tell me you came here intending
+to tell my little girl to forget all about you just when you are
+going off to fight for your country, and may never come back? You mean
+to run away and leave her alone with an old crock of a father? You
+know, Ewart, you--you make me angry at times."
+
+"I'm very sorry, sir," I apologised, though I had no recollection of
+having made him angry before.
+
+"Oh! I know," he said, in a calmer tone. "Felt it was your duty, and
+all that--eh? I know. But, you see, it's not your duty at all. No.
+Now, there are one or two things I want to tell you that you don't
+know, and I'll tell you one of 'em now and the rest later. The first
+thing--in absolute confidence, of course--is that----"
+
+But at this point Myra walked in, and the General broke off into an
+incoherent mutter. He was a poor diplomatist.
+
+"Ah! secrets? Naughty!" she exclaimed laughingly. "Are you ready,
+Ronnie?"
+
+"He's quite ready, my dear," said the old man graciously. "I've said
+all I want to say to him for the time being. Run along with girlie,
+Ewart. You don't want to mess about with an old crock."
+
+"Daddy," said Myra reproachfully, "you're not to call yourself names."
+
+"All right, then; I won't," he laughed. "You young people will excuse
+me, I'm sure. I should like to join you; but I have a lot of letters
+to write, and I daresay you'd rather be by yourselves. Eh?--you young
+dog!"
+
+It was a polite fiction between father and daughter that when the old
+fellow felt too unwell to join her or his guests he "had a lot of
+letters to write." And occasionally, when he was in the mood to
+overtax his strength, she would never refer to it directly, but often
+she would remark, "You know you'll miss the post, daddy." And they
+both understood. So we set out by ourselves, and I naturally preferred
+to be alone with Myra, much as I liked her father. We went out on to
+the verandah, and while I unpacked my kit Myra rewound her line, which
+had been drying on the pegs overnight.
+
+"Are you content with small mercies, Ron?" she asked, "or do you agree
+that it is better to try for a salmon than catch a trout?"
+
+"It certainly isn't better to-day, anyway," I answered. "I want to be
+near you, darling. I don't want the distance of the pools between us.
+We might walk up to the Dead Man's Pool, and then fish up stream; and
+later fish the loch from the boat. That would bring us back in nice
+time for dinner."
+
+"Oh! splendid!" she cried; and we fished out our fly-books. Her's was
+a big book of tattered pig-skin, which reclined at the bottom of the
+capacious "poacher's pocket" in her jacket. The fly-book was an old
+favourite--she wouldn't have parted with it for worlds. Having
+followed her advice, and changed the Orange I had tied for the "bob"
+to a Peacock Zulu, which I borrowed from her, we set out.
+
+"Just above the Dead Man's Pool you get a beautiful view of
+Hilderman's hideous hut," Myra declared as we walked along. I may
+explain here that "Dead Man's Pool" is an English translation of the
+Gaelic name, which I dare not inflict on the reader.
+
+"See?" she cried, as we climbed the rock looking down on the gorgeous
+salmon pool, with its cool, inviting depths and its subtle promise of
+sport. "Oh! Ronnie, isn't it wonderful?" she cried. "Almost every day
+of my life I have admired this view, and I love it more and more every
+time I see it. I sometimes think I'd rather give up my life than the
+simple power to gaze at the mountains and the sea."
+
+"Why, look!" I exclaimed. "Is that the window you meant?"
+
+"Yes," Myra replied, with an air of annoyance, "that's it. You can see
+that light when the sun shines on it, which is nearly all day, and it
+keeps on reminding us that we have a neighbour, although the loch is
+between us. Besides, for some extraordinary reason it gets on father's
+nerves. Poor old daddy!"
+
+It may seem strange to the reader that anyone should take notice of
+the sun's reflection on a window two and a quarter miles away; but it
+must be remembered that all her life Myra had been accustomed to the
+undisputed possession of an unbroken view.
+
+"Anyhow," she added, as she turned away, "we came here to fish. One of
+us must cross the stream here and fish that side. We can't cross
+higher up, there's too much water, and there's no point in getting
+wet. I'll go, and you fish this side; and when we reach the loch we'll
+get into the boat. See, Sholto's across already."
+
+And she tripped lightly from boulder to boulder across the top of the
+fall which steams into the Dead Man's Pool, while I stood and admired
+her agile sureness of foot as one admires the graceful movements of a
+beautiful young roe. Sholto was pawing about in a tiny backwater, and
+trying to swallow the bubbles he made, until he saw his beloved
+mistress was intent on the serious business of fishing, and then he
+climbed lazily to the top of a rock, where he could keep a watchful
+eye on her, and sprawled himself out in the sun. I have fished better
+water than the Malluch river, certainly, and killed bigger fish in
+other lochs than the beautiful mountain tarn above Invermalluch Lodge;
+but I have never had a more enjoyable day's sport than the least
+satisfying of my many days there.
+
+There was a delightful informality about the sport at the Lodge. One
+fished in all weathers because one wanted to fish, and varied one's
+methods and destination according to the day. There was no sign of
+that hideous custom of doing the thing "properly" that the members of
+a stockbroker's house-party seem to enjoy--no drawing lots for reaches
+or pools overnight, no roping-in a gillie to add to the chance of
+sending a basket "south." When there was a superfluity of fish the
+crofters and tenants were supplied first, and then anything that was
+left over was sent to friends in London and elsewhere. At the end of
+the day's sport we went home happy and pleased with ourselves, not in
+the least depressed if we had drawn a blank, to jolly and delightful
+meals, without any formality at all. And if we were wet, there was a
+great drying-room off the kitchen premises where our clothes were
+dried by a housemaid who really understood the business. As for our
+tackle, we dried our own lines and pegged them under the verandah, and
+rewound them again in the morning, made up our own casts, and
+generally did everything for ourselves without a retinue of
+attendants. And thereby we enjoyed ourselves hugely.
+
+Angus and Sandy, the two handy-men of the place, would carry the
+lunch-basket or pull the boats on the loch or stand by with the gaff
+or net--and what experts they are!--but the rest we did for ourselves.
+By the time I had got a pipe on and wetted my line, Myra was some
+fifty yards or so up stream making for a spot where she suspected
+something. She has the unerring instinct of the inveterate poacher! I
+cast idly once or twice, content to revel in the delight of holding a
+rod in my hand once more, intoxicated with the air and the scenery and
+the sunshine (What a good thing the fish in the west "like it
+bright!"), and after a few minutes a sudden jerk on my line brought me
+back to earth. I missed him, but he thrilled me to the serious
+business of the thing, and I fished on, intent on every cast.
+
+I suppose I must have fished for about twenty minutes, but of that I
+have never been able to say definitely. It may possibly have been
+more. I only know that as I was picking my way over some boulders to
+enable me to cast more accurately for a big one I had risen, I heard
+Myra give a sharp, short cry. I turned anxiously and called to her.
+
+I could not distinguish her at first among the great gray rocks in the
+river. Surely she could not have fallen in. Even had she done so, I
+hardly think she would have called out. She was extraordinarily sure
+on her feet, and, in any case, she was an expert swimmer. What could
+it be? Immediately following her cry came Sholto's deep bay, and then
+I saw her. She was standing on a tall, white, lozenge-shaped rock,
+that looked almost as if it had been carefully shaped in concrete. She
+was kneeling, and her arm was across her face. With a cry I dashed
+into the river, and floundered across, sometimes almost up to my neck,
+and ran stumbling to her in a blind agony of fear. Even as I ran her
+rod was carried past me, and disappeared over the fall below.
+
+"Myra, my darling," I cried as I reached her, and took her in my arms,
+"what is it, dearest? For God's sake tell me--what is it?"
+
+"Oh, Ronnie, dear," she said, "I don't know, darling. I don't
+understand." Her voice broke as she lifted her beautiful face to me. I
+looked into those wonderful eyes, and they gazed back at me with a
+dull, meaningless stare. She stretched out her arm to grasp my hand,
+and her own hand clutched aimlessly on my collar.
+
+In a flash I realised the hideous truth.
+
+Myra was blind!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE BLACK BLOW.
+
+
+"Oh, Ronnie, darling," Myra asked, in a pitiful voice that went to my
+heart. "What can it mean? I--I--I can't see--anything at all."
+
+"It's the sun, darling; it will be all right in a minute or two.
+There, lie in my arms, dear, and close your poor eyes. It will be all
+right soon, dearest."
+
+I tried to comfort her, to assure her that it was just the glare on
+the water, that she would be able to see again in a moment, but I felt
+the pitiful inadequacy of my empty words, and it seemed that the light
+had gone out of my life. I pray that I may never again witness such a
+harrowing sight as that of Myra, leaning her beautiful head on my
+shoulder, suddenly stricken blind, doing her best to pacify her dog,
+who was heart-broken in the instinctive knowledge of a new, swift
+grief which he could not understand.
+
+I must ask the reader to spare me from describing in detail the
+terrible agony of the next few days, when the hideous tragedy of
+Myra's blindness overcame us all in its naked freshness. I cannot
+bring myself to speak of it even yet. I would at any time give my life
+to save Myra's sight, her most priceless possession. I make this as a
+simple statement of fact, and in no spirit of romantic arrogance, and
+I think I would rather die than live again the gnawing agony of those
+days.
+
+I took Myra in my arms, and carried her back to the house. Poor child;
+she realised almost immediately that I was as dumbfounded as she was
+herself at the terrible blow which had befallen her, and that I had no
+faith in my empty assurances that it would soon be all right again,
+and she would be able to see as well as ever in an hour or two, at
+most. So she at once began to comfort me! I marvelled at her bravery,
+but she made me more miserable than ever. I felt that she might have a
+sort of premonition that she would never see again. As we crossed the
+stream above the fall I saw again the reflected light from Hilderman's
+window, and a pang shot through me as I remembered her words on that
+very spot--that she would rather die than be unable to see her beloved
+mountains.
+
+I clutched her in my arms, and held her closer to me in dumb despair.
+
+"Am I very heavy, Ron, dear?" she asked presently. "If you give me
+your hand, dear, I could walk. I think I could even manage without it;
+but, of course, I should prefer to have your hand at any time." She
+gave a natural little laugh, which almost deceived me, and again I
+marvelled at her pluck. I had known Myra since she was four, and I
+might have expected that she would meet her tragic misfortune with a
+smile.
+
+"You're as light as a feather, dearest," I protested, "and, as far as
+that goes, I'd rather carry you at any time."
+
+"I'm glad you were here when it happened, dear," she whispered.
+
+"Tell me, darling, how did it happen?" I asked. "I mean, what did it
+seem like? Did things gradually grow duller and duller, or what?"
+
+"No," she answered; "that was the extraordinary part of it. Quite
+suddenly I saw everything green for a second, and then everything went
+out in a green flash. It was a wonderful, liquid green, like the sea
+over a sand-bank. It was just a long flash, very quick and sharp, and
+then I found I could see nothing at all. Everything is black now, the
+black of an intense green. I thought I'd been struck by lightning.
+Wasn't it silly of me?"
+
+"My poor, brave little woman," I murmured. "Tell me, where were you
+then?"
+
+"Just where you found me, on the Chemist's Rock. I call it the
+Chemist's Rock because it's shaped like a cough-lozenge. I was casting
+from there; it makes a beautiful fishing-table. I looked up, and
+then--well, then it happened."
+
+"We're just coming to the house," said Myra suddenly. "We're just
+going to turn on to the stable-path."
+
+"Darling!" I cried, nearly dropping her in my excitement; "you can see
+already?"
+
+"Oh, Ronnie, I'm so sorry," she said penitently. "I only knew by
+the smell of the peat stacks." I could not restrain a groan of
+disappointment, and Myra stroked my face, and murmured again, "I'm
+sorry, dearest."
+
+"Will you please put me down now?" she asked. "If daddy saw you
+carrying me to the house he'd have a fit, and the servants would go
+into hysterics." So I put her tenderly on her feet, and she took my
+arm, and we walked slowly to the house. She could see nothing, not
+even in the hazy confusion of the nearly blind; yet she walked to the
+house with as firm a step and as natural an air as if she had nothing
+whatever the matter with her.
+
+"You had better leave dad to me, Ron," she suggested. "We understand
+each other, and I can explain to him. You would find it difficult, and
+it would be painful for you both. Just tell him that I'm not feeling
+very well, and he'll come straight to me. Don't tell him I want to see
+him. Give me your arm to my den, dear."
+
+I led her to her "den," a little room opening on to the verandah.
+There was a writing-table in the window covered with correspondence
+in neat little piles, for Myra was on all the charity committees in
+the county, and the rest of the room was given up to a profusion of
+fishing tackle, shooting gear, and books. Sholto followed us, every
+now and then rubbing his great head against her skirt. I left her
+there, and turned into the hall, where I met the General. He had
+heard us return.
+
+"You're back early, my boy," he remarked.
+
+"Yes," I said, taking out my cigarette-case to give myself an air of
+assurance which was utterly unknown to me. "Myra is not feeling very
+well. She's resting for a bit."
+
+"Not well?" he exclaimed, in surprise. "Very unusual, very unusual
+indeed." And he turned straight into Myra's room without waiting for
+an answer to his quiet tap on the door. With a heavy heart I went
+upstairs to the old schoolroom, now given over to Mary McNiven, Myra's
+old nurse.
+
+"Master Ronald! I _am_ glad," she cried, when I accepted her
+invitation to "come in." Mary had boxed my ears many times in my
+boyhood, and the fact that we were old friends made it difficult for
+me to tell her my terrible news. I broke it as gently as I could, and
+warned her not to alarm the servants, and very soon she wiped away her
+tears and went downstairs to see what she could do. I went out into
+the fresh air for a moment to pull myself together, marvelling at the
+unreasoning cruelty of fate. I turned into the hall, and met the
+General coming out of Myra's room. He was talking to Mary and one of
+the housemaids.
+
+"These things often occur," he was explaining in a very matter-of-fact
+voice. "They are unusual, though not unheard-of, and very distressing
+at the time. But I am confident that Miss Myra will be quite herself
+again in a day or two. Meanwhile, she had better go to bed and rest,
+and take care of herself while Angus fetches Doctor Whitehouse. No
+doubt he will give her some lotion to wash her eyes with, and it will
+be only a day or two before we see Miss Myra about again as usual. You
+must see that she has no light near her, and that she rests her eyes
+in every possible way. There is nothing whatever for you girls to get
+anxious or frightened about. I have seen this sort of thing before,
+though usually in the East."
+
+The old man dismissed the maids, and went into the drawing-room, while
+I spent a few moments with Myra. I was delighted to see the General
+taking it so well, as I had even been afraid of his total collapse, so
+I took what comfort I could from his ready assurance that he was quite
+accustomed to that sort of thing. But when, some twenty minutes later,
+I went to look for him in the drawing-room, and found him prostrate on
+the sofa, his head buried in his arms, I realised whence Myra had
+derived her pluck. He looked up as he heard the door open, and tears
+were streaming down his rugged old face.
+
+"Never mind me, Ronald," he said brokenly. "Never mind me. I shall be
+all right in a minute. I--I didn't expect this, but I shall be all
+right in a minute." I closed the door softly and left him alone.
+
+I found Angus had harnessed the pony, and was just about to start for
+Glenelg to fetch Doctor Whitehouse. So I told him to tell the General
+that I should be better able to explain to the doctor what had
+happened, and, glad of the diversion, I drove in for him myself. But
+when he arrived he made a long and searching examination, patted
+Myra's head, and told her the nerve had been strained by the glare on
+the water, and rest was all that was needed; and, as soon as he got
+outside her door, he sighed and shook his head. In the library he made
+no bones about it, and her father and I were both grateful to him.
+
+"It's not a bit of use my saying I know when I don't," the doctor
+declared emphatically. "I'm puzzled--indeed, I'm absolutely beaten.
+This is a thing I've not only never come across before, but I've never
+even read about it. This green flash, the suddenness of it, the
+absence of pain--she says she feels perfectly well. She could see
+wonderfully well up to the second it happened; no warning headaches,
+and nothing whatever to account for it. I have known a sudden shock to
+the system produce instantaneous blindness, such as a man in a very
+heated state diving into ice-cold water. But in this case there is
+nothing to go by. I can only do her harm by pretending to know what I
+don't know, and you know as much as I do. She must see a specialist,
+and the sooner the better. I would recommend Sir Gaire Olvery; that
+would mean taking her up to London. Mr. Herbert Garnesk is the second
+greatest oculist in the country; but undoubtedly Sir Gaire is first.
+Meanwhile I will give her a little nerve tonic; it will do her no
+harm, and will give her reason to think that we know how to treat her,
+so that it may do her good. She must wear the shade I brought her, and
+take care her eyes are never exposed to the light."
+
+"The fact that you yourself can make nothing of it is for us or
+against us?" asked the General, in an anxious voice.
+
+He was looking haggard and tired out.
+
+"In what way?" queried the doctor.
+
+"I mean that if she had--er--totally lost her--the use of her
+eyes--for all time, could you be certain of that or not? Or can
+you give us any reason to hope that the very fact of your not
+understanding the nature of the case points to her getting over it?"
+
+"Ah," said the doctor, "I'm not going to be so unfair to you as to say
+that. I will say emphatically that she has not absolutely hopelessly
+lost her sight. The nerves are not dead. This green veil may be
+lifted, possibly, as suddenly as it fell; but I am talking to men, and
+I want you to understand that I can give no idea as to when that may
+be. I pray that it may be soon--very soon."
+
+"I'm glad you're so straightforward about it, Whitehouse," said the
+old man, as he sank into a chair. "I don't need to be buoyed up by any
+false hopes. You can understand that it is a very terrible blow to Mr.
+Ewart and myself."
+
+"I can indeed," said the doctor solemnly. "I brought her into the
+world, you know. It is a tragic shock to me. I'll get back now, if
+you'll excuse me. I have a very serious case in the village, but I'll
+be over first thing in the morning, and I'll bring you a small bottle
+of something with me. You'll need it with this anxiety."
+
+"Nonsense, Whitehouse," declared the General stoutly. "I'm perfectly
+all right. There's nothing at all the matter with me. I don't need any
+of your begad slush."
+
+"Now, my dear friend," said the medical man cunningly, "it's my
+business to look ahead. In the next few days you'll be too anxious to
+eat, so I'm going to bring you something that will simply stimulate
+your appetite and make you want to eat. It's not good for any man to
+go without his meals, especially when that man's getting on for
+sixty."
+
+"Thank ye, my dear fellow," said the old man, more graciously.
+"I'm sorry to be such a boor, but I thought you meant some begad
+tonic." The General was getting on for seventy; to be exact, he was
+sixty-nine--he married at forty-six--and when the medicine came he
+took it, "because, after all, it was begad decent of Whitehouse to
+have thought of it."
+
+I spent a miserable night. I went to bed early, and lay awake till
+daybreak. The hideous nightmare of the green ray kept me awake for
+many nights to come. The General agreed with me that we must waste no
+time, and it was arranged that we should take Myra up to London the
+next day.
+
+"You know, Ronald," said the old man to me as we sat together after
+the mockery that would otherwise have been an excellent dinner, "I
+was particularly glad to see you to-day. I've been very worried
+about--well, about myself lately. I had an extraordinary experience
+the other day which I should never dare to relate to anyone whom I
+could not absolutely rely on to believe me. I've been fidgeting for
+the last month or two, and that window that you say you saw to-day has
+got very much on my nerves. I've been imagining that it's a heliograph
+from an enemy encampment. Simply nerves, of course; but nerves ought
+not to account for extraordinary optical delusions or hallucinations."
+
+"Hallucinations?" I asked anxiously. "What sort of hallucinations?"
+
+"I hardly like to tell you, my boy," he answered, nervously twirling
+his liqueur glass in his fingers. "You see, you're young, and
+I'm--well, to tell you the truth, I'm getting old, and when you get
+old you get nerves, and they can be terrible things, nerves." I looked
+up at the haggard face, drawn into deep furrows with the new trouble
+that had fallen on the old man, and I was shocked and startled to see
+a look of absolute fear in his eyes. I leaned forward, and laid my
+hand on his wrist.
+
+"Tell me," I suggested, as gently as I could. He brightened at once,
+and patted my arm affectionately.
+
+"I couldn't tell the little woman," he muttered. "She--she'd have been
+frightened, and she might have thought I was going mad. I couldn't
+bear that. I hadn't the courage to tell Whitehouse either; but you're
+a good chap, Ronald, and you're very fond of my girlie, and your
+father and I were pals, as you boys would say. I daresay it was only
+a sort of waking dream, or----" He broke off and stared at the
+table-cloth. I took the glass from his hand, and filled it with
+liqueur brandy, and put it beside him. He sipped it thoughtfully.
+Suddenly he turned to me, and brought his hand down on the table with
+a bang.
+
+"I swear I'm not mad, Ronald!" he cried fiercely. "There must be some
+explanation of it. I know I'm sane."
+
+"What was it exactly?" I asked quietly. "Nothing on God's earth will
+persuade me that you are mad, sir."
+
+"Thank you, my boy. I'll tell you what happened to me. You won't be
+able to explain it, but you shall hear just what it was. You may think
+it's silly of me to get nervous of what sounds like an absurdity, but
+you see it happened where--where to-day's tragedy happened."
+
+"What Myra calls the Chemist's Rock?" I asked, by this time intensely
+interested.
+
+"At the Chemist's Rock," he replied. "It was a lovely afternoon, just
+such an afternoon as to-day. I had been going to fish with girlie, but
+I was a little tired, and--er--I had some letters to write, so I said
+I would meet her later in the afternoon. It was agreed we should meet
+at the Chemist's Rock at half-past four. I left the house about a
+quarter-past, and strolled down the river to the Fank Pool, crossed
+the stream in the boat that lies there, and walked up the opposite
+bank past Dead Man's Pool towards the Chemist's Rock. I mention all
+this to show you that I was feeling well enough to enjoy a stroll, and
+a very rocky stroll at that, because, if I hadn't been feeling
+perfectly fit, I should have gone up the back way past the stable, the
+way you came back this afternoon. So you see, I was undoubtedly quite
+well, my boy. However, to get on with the tale. As soon as I came in
+sight of our meeting-place I looked up to see if girlie had got there
+before me. She was not there. I looked further up stream, and saw
+Sholto come tearing down over the rocks. I knew that he had seen me,
+and that she was following him. I naturally strolled on to go to the
+rock--I say I went----" He broke off, and passed his hands across his
+eyes.
+
+"Yes," I said softly; "you went to the rock, and Myra met you----"
+
+"No," he said; "I didn't. I didn't go to the rock."
+
+"But I don't understand," I said, as he remained silent for some
+moments. The old man leaned forward, and laid a trembling,
+fever-scorched hand on mine.
+
+"Ronald," he said, in a voice that shook with genuine horror, and sent
+a cold shiver down my spine, "I did not go to the rock. _The rock came
+to me._"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+IS MORE MYSTERIOUS.
+
+
+I sat and stared at the old man in astonishment. Obviously he was
+fully convinced that he was giving me an accurate account of what
+had happened, and equally obviously he was perfectly sane.
+
+"That is all," he said presently. "The rock came to me."
+
+"Good heavens!" I exclaimed, suddenly brought to my senses by the
+sound of his voice. "What an extraordinary thing!"
+
+"For a moment I thought I was mad, and sometimes, when I have thought
+over it since--and the Lord knows how many times I've done that--I've
+come to the conclusion that I must have fallen asleep. But even now
+the fear haunts me that my mind may be going."
+
+"You mustn't imagine anything like that, General," I advised
+seriously. "Whatever you do, don't encourage any doubts of your own
+sanity. There must be some explanation of this, although I can't for
+the moment imagine what it can possibly be. It is a remarkable thing,
+and I fancy you will find, when we do know the explanation, that
+anyone else standing where you were at that time would have seen
+exactly the same thing. The rock stands out of the water; it is just
+above a deep pool, and probably it was a sort of mirage effect, and
+not by any means a figment of your brain."
+
+To my surprise the old man leaned back in his chair and burst out
+laughing.
+
+"Of course," he exclaimed. "I never thought of that--a sort of mirage.
+Well, I'm begad thankful you suggested that, Ronald. I've no doubt
+that it was something of the sort. What a begad old fool I am. Let us
+pray that our poor little girl's trouble," he added solemnly, "will
+have some equally simple solution."
+
+The General was so relieved that I had given him, at any rate, some
+sort of reason to believe that his brain was not yet going, that he
+began to declare that he was convinced Myra would be better in a day
+or two. So we arranged that I should take her up to London the next
+day, and leave her in charge of her aunt, Lady Ruslit, and then, as
+soon as we had heard Sir Gaire's verdict, I was to bring her back
+again. General McLeod had been anxious at first to come with us, but I
+pointed out that he would be of more use to Myra if he stayed behind,
+and kept an eye on her interests in the neighbourhood. I promised to
+wire him the result of the interview with Olvery as soon as I knew it.
+And just about a quarter to ten we went to bed.
+
+"Ronald," said the old man, as we shook hands outside my door,
+"there's just one thing I wasn't frank with you about in the matter of
+the Chemist's Rock. I am anxious to believe that it's a point of no
+particular importance. You know the rock is a sort of sandstone, not
+grey like the rest, but nearly white?"
+
+"Yes," I answered, wondering what could be coming next.
+
+"Well," said the old man, "that day when I saw it appearing to come
+towards me it was not white, but green."
+
+"No," I said at last, when we had spent another twenty minutes
+discussing this new aspect in my room. "It's beyond me. I can't see
+how the two events can be connected, and yet they are so unusual that
+one would think they must be. I certainly think it is a point to put
+in detail before Olvery."
+
+"On the whole, I quite agree with you," said the General. "I am rather
+afraid he may take us for a pack of lunatics, and refuse to be
+bothered with the case."
+
+"I'm sure he won't do that," I asserted confidently. "And he may have
+some medical knowledge that will just shake the puzzle into place, and
+explain the whole mystery to us. It seems to me a most remarkable
+thing that these two strange affairs should have happened in exactly
+the same place. That it is some strange freak of nature I have no
+doubt, but I am absolutely at a loss to think what it can be."
+
+It can hardly be wondered at that, as I have said before, sleep and I
+were strangers that night, and I was glad enough when the time came
+for me to get up.
+
+Myra came down after breakfast, wonderfully brave and bright, but
+there was no sign whatever of her sight returning to her. The
+leave-taking was a wretched business, and I cannot dwell on it. Sandy
+started early to sail to Mallaig with the luggage, and we followed in
+the motor-boat, Angus at the engine, old Mary McNiven in the bows,
+while I took the tiller, and Myra lay on a pile of cushions at my
+feet, her head resting on my knee, her arm round Sholto's neck; for
+she had wanted the dog to see her off at the station. The old General
+managed to keep up a cheery manner as he said good-bye at the
+landing-stage, but he was looking so care-worn and haggard that I was
+glad that he had been persuaded not to come up to London with us. He
+was certainly not in a fit state for the fatigues of a long journey.
+As we passed Glasnabinnie the _Baltimore_ slid out from the side of
+the shed that stood on the edge of the miniature harbour which Nature
+had thoughtfully bestowed on the place.
+
+"I can hear a motor-boat," said Myra, suddenly sitting up.
+
+"Yes," I replied. "It's Hilderman's."
+
+"Is she ahead of us?" she asked.
+
+I looked round, and saw that the _Baltimore_ was putting out to round
+the point.
+
+"No, she's about level," I answered. "She's evidently making for
+Mallaig. We are, if anything, a little ahead, but they will soon pass
+us, I should think."
+
+"Oh, Ron," cried Myra, with childish excitement, "don't let them beat
+us. Angus, put some life into her. We _must_ make the harbour first."
+
+Angus did his best, and I set her course as near in shore as I dared
+on that treacherous coast. The _Baltimore_ glided out to sea with the
+easy grace of a powerful and beautiful animal, and as we passed the
+jagged promontory she was coming up about thirty yards behind us.
+
+"Challenge him, Ron," Myra exclaimed; "you've met him."
+
+I turned, and saw Hilderman and two other men in the boat, one a
+friend apparently, and the other the mechanic. I stood up and waved to
+him.
+
+"We'll race you to Mallaig," I shouted.
+
+"It's a bet," he agreed readily, at the top of his voice, waving back.
+
+It was a ding-dong business across the mouth of Nevis, and the
+_Baltimore_ was leading, if anything, but we had not far to go, and
+our opponents had taken a course a good deal farther out to sea than
+we were. Coming up by the lighthouse, however, the _Baltimore_ drew in
+at a magnificent pace, and swept in to pass inside the lighthouse
+rock. Hilderman, who was quite distinct at the short distance, stood
+up in the stern of the _Baltimore_, and looked at us. We were making
+good time, but we had no chance of outdistancing his powerful boat.
+But, as he looked at us, and was evidently about to shout some
+triumphant greeting, I saw him catch sight of Myra, lying at my feet,
+her face hidden in the shade over her eyes. Suddenly, without the
+slightest warning, he swung the tiller, and, turning out again, took
+the long course round the lighthouse, and we slid alongside the
+fish-table a good minute ahead of him. Myra was delighted; she had no
+suspicion that we had virtually lost the race, and the trifling
+excitement gave her a real pleasure. Angus, I could see, was puzzled,
+but I signed to him to say nothing. My heart warmed to Hilderman; he
+had seen that Myra was not well, and, divining that it would give her
+some pleasure to win the race, he had tactfully given way to us. I was
+really grateful to him for his kindly thought, and determined to thank
+him as soon as I could. We had nearly half an hour to wait for the
+mid-day train, and, after seeing Myra and Mary safely ensconced in the
+Marine Hotel, I went out with Sholto to get the tickets, telegraph to
+Dennis, and express my gratitude to Hilderman. But when I stepped out
+of the hotel he was standing in the road waiting for me.
+
+"Good morning, Mr. Ewart," he said, coming forward to offer me his
+hand. "Is there anything the matter with Miss McLeod?"
+
+"She's not very well," I replied. "She has something the matter with
+her eyes. It was very good of you to let us win our little race. Every
+little pleasure that we can give Miss McLeod just at this time is of
+great value to us."
+
+"Eyes?" said Hilderman, thoughtfully, with the same dreamy expression
+that Dennis had pointed out at King's Cross. "What sort of thing is
+it? I know something about eyes."
+
+"I'm afraid I can tell you nothing," I replied. "She has suddenly lost
+her sight in the most amazing and terrible manner. We are just taking
+her up to London to see a specialist."
+
+"Had she any pain?" he asked, "or any dizziness or fainting, or
+anything like that?"
+
+"No," I said; "there is absolutely nothing to go by. It is a most
+extraordinary affair, and a very terrible blow to us all."
+
+"It must be," he said gently, "very, very terrible. I have heard so
+much about Miss McLeod that I even feel it myself. I am deeply grieved
+to hear this, deeply grieved." He spoke very sympathetically, and I
+felt that it was very kind of him to take such a friendly interest in
+his unknown neighbour.
+
+"I think you'd better join me in a brandy and soda, Mr. Ewart," he
+said, laying a hand on my arm. "I don't suppose you know it, but you
+look ten years older than you did yesterday."
+
+Yesterday! Good heavens! Had all this happened in a day? I was
+certainly feeling far from myself, and I accepted his invitation
+readily enough. We turned into the refreshment-room outside the
+station, and I had a stiff whisky and soda, realising how far away
+from London I was when the man gave me the whisky in one glass and
+the soda in another.
+
+"Tell me," said Hilderman, "if it is not very rude of me to ask, or
+too painful for you to speak about, what was Miss McLeod doing when
+this happened? Reading, or what?" I gave him a rough outline of the
+circumstances, but, in view of what the General had told me the night
+before, I said nothing about the mystery of the green ray. We wanted
+to retain our reputation for sanity as long as we could, and no
+outsider who did not know the General personally would believe that
+his astonishing experience was anything other than the strange
+creation of a nerve-wrought brain.
+
+"And that was all?" he asked thoughtfully.
+
+"Yes, that was all," I replied.
+
+"I suppose you haven't decided what specialist you will take her
+to when you get her to London?" he queried. I was about to reply when
+I heard Sholto in a heated argument with some other dog, and I bolted
+out, with a hurried excuse, to bring him in. As I returned, with my
+hand on his collar, the harbour-master greeted me, and told me
+we might have some difficulty in reaching London, as the train
+service was likely to be disorganised owing to the transport of troops
+and munitions. When I rejoined Hilderman I was full of this new
+development. It would be both awkward and unpleasant to be turned out
+of the train before we reached London; and every moment's delay might
+mean injury to my poor Myra.
+
+"I don't think you need worry at all, Mr. Ewart," my new friend
+assured me. "The trains will run all right. They may alter the
+services where they have too many trains, but here they are not likely
+to do so. Thank heaven, I shall not be travelling again for some time.
+I hate it, although I have to run about a good deal. I have a few
+modest investments that take up a considerable portion of my time. I
+figure on one or two boards, you know."
+
+I thanked him for his kindly interest, and left him. I wired to Dennis
+not to meet the train, but to be prepared to put me up the following
+night. Then I got the tickets, and took Myra to the train. Hilderman
+was seeing his friend off; a short, somewhat stout man, with flaxen
+hair, and small blue eyes peering through a pair of large spectacles.
+He bowed to us as we passed, and I was struck by the kindly sympathy
+with which both he and his companion glanced at Myra. Evidently they
+both realised what a terrible blow to her the loss of her sight must
+be. I will admit that, when it came to the time for the train to
+start, my heart nearly failed me altogether. The sight of the
+beautiful blind girl saying good-bye to her dog was one which I hope I
+may never see again. As the train steamed out into the cutting Sholto
+was left whining on the platform, and it was as much as Angus could do
+to hold him back. Poor Sholto; he was a faithful beast, and they were
+taking his beloved mistress away from him. Myra sat back in the
+carriage, and furtively wiped away a tear from her poor sightless
+eyes.
+
+"Poor old fellow," she said, with a brave smile. "If they can't do
+anything for me in London he will have to lead me about. It'll keep
+him out of mischief."
+
+"Don't say that, darling!" I groaned.
+
+"Poor old Ron," she said tenderly. "I believe it's worse for you than
+it is for me. And now that Mary has left us for a bit I want to say
+something to you, dear, while I can. You mustn't think I don't
+understand what this will mean to you, dear. I want you to know,
+darling, that I hope always to be your very great friend, but I don't
+expect you to marry a blind girl."
+
+I shall certainly not tell the reader what I said in reply to that
+generous and noble statement.
+
+"Besides, dear," I concluded eventually, "you will soon be able to see
+again." And so I tried to assure her, till presently Mary returned.
+And then we made her comfortable, and I read to her in the darkened
+carriage until at last my poor darling fell into a gentle sleep.
+
+But twenty-six hours later, when I had seen Myra safely back to her
+aunt's house from Harley Street, I staggered up the stairs to Dennis's
+rooms in Panton Street a broken man.
+
+Dennis opened the door to me himself.
+
+"Ronald!" he cried, "what has happened?"
+
+"Hello, old man," I said weakly; "I'm very, very tired."
+
+My friend took my arm and led me into his sitting-room, and pressed me
+gently on the sofa. Then he brought me a stiff brandy and soda, and
+sat beside me in silence for a few minutes.
+
+"Feel better, old boy?" he asked presently.
+
+"Yes, thanks, Den," I answered. "I'm sorry to be such a nuisance."
+
+"Tell me," he said, "when you feel well enough." But I lay, and closed
+my eyes, for I was dog-tired, and could not bring myself to speak even
+to Dennis of the specialist's terrible verdict. And soon Nature
+asserted herself, and I fell into a deep sleep, which was the best
+thing I could have done. When I awoke I was lying in bed, in total
+darkness, in Dennis's extra room. I sat up, and called out in my
+surprise, for I had been many miles away in my slumbers, and my first
+hope was that the whole adventure had been a hideous nightmare. But
+Dennis, hearing my shout, walked in to see if I wanted anything.
+
+"Now, how do you feel?" he asked, as he sat on the side of the bed.
+
+"Did you carry me in here and put me to bed?" I asked idly.
+
+"You certainly didn't look like walking, and I thought you'd be more
+comfortable in here," he laughed.
+
+"Great Scott, man!" I cried, suddenly remembering his heart trouble,
+"you shouldn't have done that, Dennis. You promised me you'd take no
+risks."
+
+"Heavens! that was nothing," he declared emphatically. "You're as
+light as a feather. There was no risk in that."
+
+Indeed, as events were to prove, it was only the first of many, but
+being ignorant of that at the time, I contented myself with pointing
+out that very few feathers turned the scale at twelve-stone-three.
+
+"Now look here, old son," said Dennis, in an authoritative voice. "You
+mustn't imagine I'm dealing with your trouble, whatever it is (for you
+_are_ in trouble, Ronald), in a matter-of-fact and unsympathetic way.
+But what you've got to do now is to get up, have a tub, slip into a
+dressing-gown, and have a quiet little dinner with me here. It's just
+gone eight, so you ought to be ready for it."
+
+He disappeared to turn on the bath-water, and then, when he met me in
+the passage making for the bathroom, he handed me a glass.
+
+"Drink this, old chap," he said.
+
+"What is it?" I asked suspiciously. "I don't want any fancy
+pick-me-ups. They only make you worse afterwards."
+
+"That was prescribed by Doctor Common Sense," he answered lightly.
+"It's peach bitters!"
+
+After my tub I was able to tackle my dinner, with the knowledge that I
+was badly in need of something to eat, a feeling which surprised me
+very much. Throughout the meal Dennis told me of the enlistment of
+Jack and poor Tommy Evans, and we discussed their prospects and the
+chances of my seeing them before they disappeared into the crowded
+ranks of Kitchener's Army. Dennis himself had been ruthlessly refused.
+He spoke of trying his luck again until they accepted him, but I knew,
+from what he told me of the doctor's remarks, that he had no earthly
+chance of being passed. He seemed to have entirely mastered his regret
+at his inability to serve his country in the ranks, but I understood
+at once that he was merely putting his own troubles in the background
+in face of my own. The meal over, we "got behind" two of Dennis's
+excellent cigars, and made ourselves comfortable.
+
+"Now then, old man," said my friend, "a complete and precise account
+of what has happened to you since you left King's Cross two days ago."
+
+"It has all been so extraordinary and terrible," I said, "that I
+hardly know where to begin."
+
+"I saw you last at the station," he said, laying a hand on my knee.
+"Begin from there." So I began at the beginning, and told him just
+what had happened, exactly as I have told the reader.
+
+Dennis was deeply moved.
+
+"And then you saw Olvery?" he asked. "What did he say?"
+
+I got up, paced the room. What had Olvery said? Should I ever forget
+those blistering words to the day of my death?
+
+"Come, old boy," said Dennis kindly. "You must remember that Olvery is
+merely a man. He is only one of the many floundering about among the
+mysteries of Nature, trying to throw light upon darkness. You mustn't
+imagine that his view is necessarily correct, from whichever point he
+looked at the case."
+
+"Thank you for that," I said. "I am afraid I forgot that he might
+possibly be mistaken. He says he knows nothing of this case at all; he
+can make nothing of it; it is quite beyond him. He is certain that no
+such similar case has been brought to the knowledge of optical
+science. His view is that there is the remotest possibility that this
+green veil may lift, but he says he is sure that if there were any
+scientific reason for saying that her sight will be restored he would
+be able to detect it."
+
+"I prefer your Dr. Whitehouse to this man any day," said Dennis
+emphatically. "He took just the opposite view. This man Olvery, like
+so many specialists, is evidently a dogmatic egotist."
+
+"I'm very glad you can give us even that hope. But the eyes are such a
+delicate instrument. It is difficult to see how the sight can be
+recovered when once it has gone. Of course, Olvery is going to do
+what he can. He has suggested certain treatment, and massage, and so
+forth, and he has no objection to her going back home again. Myra, of
+course, is tremendously anxious for me to take her back to her father.
+She is worrying about him already; and, fortunately, Olvery knows
+Whitehouse, and has the highest opinion of him."
+
+"Go back as soon as you can, old chap," Dennis advised. "Wire me if
+there is anything I can do for you at this end. I'll make some
+inquiries, and see if I can find out anything about any similar cases,
+and so on. But you take the girl back home if she wants to go."
+
+While we were still talking, Dennis's man, Cooper, entered.
+
+"Telegram for Mr. Ewart, sir," he said.
+
+I took the yellow envelope and opened it carelessly.
+
+"What is it?" cried Dennis, springing to his feet as he saw my face.
+
+"Read it," I said faintly, as I handed it to him. Dennis read the
+message aloud:
+
+"Come back at once. I can't stand this. Sholto is blind.--McLEOD."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+CONTAINS A FURTHER ENIGMA.
+
+
+Back again at King's Cross. I seemed to have been travelling on the
+line all my life. Myra turned to Dennis to say good-bye.
+
+"I hope," she said bravely, "that when we meet again, Mr. Burnham, I
+shall be able to tell you that I can see you looking well."
+
+"I do hope so, indeed, Miss McLeod," said Dennis fervently, with a
+quick glance at me. He was lost in admiration at the quiet calm with
+which my poor darling took her terrible affliction.
+
+"Good-bye, old chap," my friend said to me cheerily. "I hope to hear
+in a day or two that Miss McLeod is quite well again. And," he added
+in a whisper, "wire me if I can be of the slightest use."
+
+I readily agreed, and I was beginning, even at that early stage, to be
+very thankful that my friend was free to help me in case of need.
+
+When at last we reached Invermalluch Lodge again I sat for an hour in
+the library with the old General, telling him in detail the result of
+the specialist's examination, but I took care to put Dennis's point of
+view to him at the outset. I was glad I had done so, for he seized on
+the faint hope it offered, and clung to it in despair.
+
+"What is your own impression of Olvery?" he asked.
+
+"I fancy his knighthood has got into his head," I replied. "He gave me
+the impression that he was quite certain he knew everything there was
+to be known, and that the mere fact of his not being sure about the
+return of her sight made him positive that it must be complete and
+absolute blindness. Of course he hedged and left himself a loophole in
+the event of her recovery, but I could have told him just as much as
+he told me."
+
+"You say you took it on yourself to take Myra out of his hands
+altogether. Why?"
+
+"When I received your wire, I rang him up at once, and asked him to
+see me immediately," I replied. "Eventually he agreed, and I took a
+taxi to his place, and told him about Sholto. He gave his opinion
+without any consideration whatever. He said: 'The merest coincidence,
+Mr. Ewart--the merest coincidence--and you may even find that the dog
+has not actually lost his sight at all.' So naturally I thanked him,
+gave him his fee, and came away. I propose now that you should try and
+get this man--Garnish, is it----?"
+
+"Garnesk," interposed the General, consulting a note Dr. Whitehouse
+had left--"Herbert Garnesk."
+
+"Well, I want you to try and get him sufficiently interested to come
+here--and stop here--until he has come to some decision, no matter
+what it is."
+
+"A thundering good idea, Ronald," agreed the old man. "But we can't
+tell him this extraordinary story in writing."
+
+"I'll go and find him, and fetch him back with me, if I have to hold a
+gun to his head."
+
+Accordingly I dashed off to Mallaig again, and caught the evening
+train to Glasgow. I spent an unhappy night at the Central Station
+Hotel--though it was certainly not the fault of the hotel--and looked
+up Mr. Garnesk as early in the morning as I dared disturb a celebrated
+consultant oculist. I took a fancy to the man at once. He was
+young--in the early 'forties--very alert-looking, and exceedingly
+businesslike. His prematurely grey hair gave an added air of
+importance to the clever eye and clean-cut features, and he had a
+charm of manner which would have made his fortune had he been almost
+ignorant of the rudiments of his calling.
+
+"So that's the complete story of Miss McLeod and her dog Sholto," he
+mused, when I had finished speaking. For a brief second I thought he
+was about to laugh at the apparent absurdity of the yarn, but before I
+had time to answer he spoke again.
+
+"Miss McLeod and her dog are apparently blind, and Mr. Ewart is a
+bundle of nerves--and this is very excellent brandy, Mr. Ewart. Allow
+me."
+
+I accepted the proffered glass with a laugh, in spite of myself.
+
+"What do you think of it?" I asked.
+
+He sat on the edge of the table and swung his leg, wrapt in thought
+for a moment.
+
+"I'm very glad to say I don't know what to think of it," he replied
+presently.
+
+"Why glad?" I asked anxiously.
+
+"Because, my dear sir, this is so remarkable that if I thought I could
+see a solution I should probably be making a mistake. This is
+something I am learning about for the first time; and, frankly, it
+interests me intensely."
+
+Suddenly he sat down abruptly, with a muttered "Now, then," and began
+to catechise me in a most extraordinarily searching manner, firing off
+question after question with the rapidity of a maxim gun.
+
+I shall not detain the reader with details of this catechism. His
+inquiries ranged from the system on which the house was lighted and
+the number of hours Myra averaged per week on the sea to the make of
+the engine in her motor-boat. His last question was: "Does anybody
+drink the river water?"
+
+"Windows that flash in the sun seem to me to be confusing the issue,"
+he said at last. "Windows must always reflect light in a certain
+direction at a certain time, and though they may be irritating they
+could not possibly produce even temporary blindness. Still, we won't
+forget them, Mr. Ewart, though we had better put them aside for a
+moment. Now, how soon can you bring Miss McLeod to see me?"
+
+"We had hoped," I ventured to suggest, "that you would be able to run
+up and see her, and have a look at the ground. You could then examine
+the dog as well."
+
+"I'll be perfectly candid with you, Mr. Ewart," he replied. "I was
+just going to start on a short holiday. I was going to Switzerland;
+but the war has knocked that on the head, so I am just running up to
+Perthshire for a week's fishing. I need a holiday very badly, more
+especially as I have undertaken some Government work in connection
+with the war. Fortunately, I am a bachelor, and I will willingly give
+up a couple of days to Miss McLeod."
+
+"Why not combine business with pleasure?" I suggested. "There's good
+fishing at Invermalluch, gorgeous scenery, a golf-course a mile or two
+away, and you can do just as you please on the General's estate. He'll
+be delighted."
+
+"Are you sure?" he asked. "Well, anyway, I can go to the Glenelg Hotel
+and fish up Glenmore. Now, Mr. Ewart, we will catch the afternoon
+train, the earliest there is--though I suppose there's only one."
+
+"I can't tell you how grateful I am, Mr. Garnesk," I said. "It may
+mean a very great deal to us that you are so anxious to see Miss
+McLeod."
+
+"I am not anxious to see Miss McLeod," he answered, cryptically. "I'm
+anxious to see the dog."
+
+I left him, to telegraph to the General that I was arriving that night
+bringing the specialist with me; and I need hardly say that I left the
+telegraph office with a comparatively light heart. The journey to
+Mallaig was one of the most interesting afternoons I have spent.
+Garnesk was consulting oculist to all the big chemical, machine, naval
+and other manufacturers in the great industrial centre on the Clyde,
+and he kept me enthralled with his accounts of the sudden attacks of
+various eye diseases which were occasionally the fate of the workers.
+The effects of chemicals, the indigenous generation of gases in the
+furnace-rooms, and so on, had afforded him ample scope for experiment;
+and, fortunately for us all, he was delighted to have found new ground
+for enlarging his experience. The mixture of professional anecdote and
+piscatorial prophecy with which he entertained me, now and then
+rushing across the carriage to get a glimpse of a salmon-pool in some
+river over which we happened to be passing, gave me an amusing insight
+into the character of one whom I have since learned to regard as a
+very brilliant and charming man. When we arrived at the landing-stage
+at the Lodge, the General greeted him with undisguised joy.
+
+"Begad! Mr. Garnesk," he blurted, "I'm thundering glad to see you,
+sir. It's good of you to come, sir--extremely good."
+
+"That remains to be seen, General," said Garnesk, solemnly--"whether
+my visit will do any good. I hope so, with all my heart."
+
+"Amen to that!" said the old man, pathetically, with a heavy sigh.
+
+"How is Miss McLeod?" asked the scientist.
+
+"Her eyes are no better," the General replied. "She cannot see at all.
+Otherwise she is in perfect health. She says she feels as well as ever
+she did. I can't understand it," he finished helplessly.
+
+A suit-case, a bag of golf-clubs, and a square deal box completed
+Garnesk's outfit.
+
+"Steady with that--here, let me take it?" he cried, as Angus was
+lifting the last item ashore. "Business and pleasure," he continued,
+raising the box in his arms and indicating his clubs and fishing-rods
+with a jerk of the head. "I've one or two things here that may help me
+in my work, and as they are very delicate instruments I would rather
+carry them myself."
+
+As we approached the house the sound of the piano greeted us in the
+distance; and soon we could distinguish the strains of that most
+beautiful and understanding of all burial marches, Grieg's "Aase's
+Tod."
+
+"My daughter can even welcome us with a tune," said the old man
+proudly. To him all music came under the category of "tunes," with the
+sole exception of "God Save the King," which was a national
+institution.
+
+Garnesk stopped and stood on the path, the deal box clasped carefully
+in his arms, his head on one side, listening.
+
+"We have the right sort of patient to deal with, anyway," he remarked,
+with a sigh of relief. But to me the melancholy insistence of the
+exquisite harmonies was fraught with ill-omen, and I could not
+restrain the shudder of an unaccountable fear as we resumed our walk.
+Later on, when I found an opportunity to ask her why she had chosen
+that particular music, I was only partially relieved by her ingenuous
+answer:
+
+"Oh! just because I love it, Ronnie," she said, "and there are no
+difficult intervals to play with your eyes shut. I thought it was
+rather clever of me to think of it. I shall soon be able to play more
+tricky things. It will cure me of looking at the notes when I can see
+again."
+
+Myra and the young specialist were introduced; and, though he chatted
+gaily with her, and touched on innumerable subjects, he never once
+alluded to her misfortune. Though the General was evidently anxious
+that Garnesk should make his examination as soon as possible,
+hospitality forced him to suggest dinner first, and I was surprised at
+the alacrity with which the visitor concurred, knowing, as I did, his
+intense interest in the case. But, after a few conventional remarks to
+the General and Myra, I was about to show him to his room when he
+seized my arm excitedly.
+
+"Quick!" he whispered. "Where's the dog?"
+
+I led him to a room above the coach-house where poor Sholto was a
+pitiful prisoner. Garnesk deposited his precious packing-case on the
+floor, and called the dog to him. Sholto sprang forward in a moment,
+recognising the tone of friendship in the voice, and planted his paws
+on my companion's chest. For twenty minutes the examination lasted.
+One strange test after another was applied to the poor animal; but he
+was very good about it, and seemed to understand that we were trying
+to help him.
+
+"I should hate to have to kill that dog, but it may be necessary
+before long," said the specialist. "But why didn't you tell Miss
+McLeod her dog was blind?"
+
+"We were afraid it would upset her too much," I answered, and then
+suddenly realising the point of the question, I added, "but how on
+earth did you know we hadn't?"
+
+"Because," he said thoughtfully, "if you had, she strikes me as the
+sort of girl who would have asked me straight away what I thought I
+could do for him."
+
+"You seem to understand human nature as well as you do science," I
+said admiringly.
+
+"The two are identical, or at least co-incident, Mr. Ewart," he
+replied solemnly. "But what was it you _did_ tell her?"
+
+"We said he was suffering from a sort of eczema, which looked as if
+it might be infectious, and we thought she ought not to be near him
+for a bit. Otherwise, of course, she would have wanted him with her
+all the time."
+
+When the examination was over for the time being, I chained Sholto
+to a hook in an old harness-rack, for he was strong and unused to
+captivity, and the door had no lock, only a small bolt outside.
+Garnesk packed away his instruments, carried them carefully to the
+house, and then we sprinted upstairs to dress hurriedly for dinner.
+
+Myra, poor child, was sensitive about joining us, but the specialist
+was very anxious that she should do so, and we all dined together.
+There was no allusion whatever to the strange events which had brought
+us together, but, with my professional knowledge of the mysteries of
+cross-examination, I noticed that Garnesk contrived to acquire more
+knowledge of various circumstances on which he seemed to wish to be
+enlightened than Sir Gaire Olvery had gleaned from forty minutes'
+blunt questioning.
+
+Myra had hardly left us after the meal was over when the butler handed
+the General a card, and almost simultaneously a tall, shadowy figure
+passed the window along the verandah.
+
+"'Pon my soul, that's kind of him," said the simple-hearted old man.
+"Run after him, Ronald, and fetch him back."
+
+"Who is it?" I asked, rising.
+
+"'Mr. J. G. Hilderman wishes to express his sympathy with General
+McLeod in his daughter's illness.' Very neighbourly indeed."
+
+I ran out after Hilderman, and found that his long legs had taken him
+nearly half-way to the landing-stage by the time I overtook him. He
+stopped as I called his name.
+
+"Why, Mr. Ewart," he exclaimed in surprise, "you back again already? I
+hope you had a very satisfactory interview with the specialist."
+
+I told him briefly that our visit to London had given us no
+satisfaction at all, and gave him the General's invitation to come
+up to the house.
+
+"I wouldn't think of it, Mr. Ewart," he declared emphatically. "Very
+kind of General McLeod, but he don't want to worry with strangers just
+now."
+
+He was very determined; but I insisted, and he eventually gave way. I
+was glad he had come. I had a somewhat unreasonable esteem for his
+abilities and resource, and every assistance was welcomed with open
+arms at Invermalluch Lodge at that time. His extensive knowledge even
+included some slight acquaintance with the body's most wonderful
+organ, for he told us some very interesting eye cases he had heard of
+in the States. He was genuinely dumbfoundered when we told him that
+Sholto was an additional victim.
+
+"You don't say so!" he exclaimed. "Well, that _is_ remarkable. It
+sounds as if it came out of a book. In broad daylight a young lady
+goes out, and is as well as can be. An hour later she is stone blind.
+Two days afterwards her dog goes out, and _he_ comes in blind. Yes,
+it's got me beaten."
+
+"It's got us all beaten," said Garnesk deliberately, and I was shocked
+to hear him say it. I reflected that he had not even examined Myra,
+and my disappointment was the keener that he should admit himself
+nonplussed so early. But he left me no loophole of doubt.
+
+"I can make nothing whatever of it," he added, ruefully shaking his
+head. "I wonder if I ever shall?"
+
+"Come, come! my dear sir," said Hilderman cheerily. "You scientist
+fellows have a knack of making your difficulties a little greater than
+they really are, in order to get more credit for surmounting them. I
+know your little ways. I'm an American, you know, professor; you can't
+get me that way."
+
+Garnesk laughed--fortunately. And again I was grateful to Hilderman
+for his timely tact, for it cheered the old man immensely, and helped
+me a little, too. Presently the General left the room, and Garnesk
+leaned forward.
+
+"Mr. Hilderman," he said earnestly, "do everything in your power to keep
+the old man's spirits up. I can give him no hope, professionally--I
+dare not. But you, a layman, can. It is difficult in the circumstances
+for Mr. Ewart to give much encouragement, but I know he will do his
+best."
+
+"J. G. Hilderman is yours to command," said the American, with a bow
+that included us both. And then the oculist suggested that we should
+have a look at Sholto. I led the way to the coach-house with a heavy
+heart. I should not have minded a mystery which would have endangered
+my own life. Apart from any altruism, the personal peril would have
+afforded a welcome stimulant. But this unseen horror, which stabbed in
+the dark and robbed my beautiful Myra of her sight, chilled my very
+soul. I climbed wearily up the wooden stair to Sholto's new den,
+carrying a stable lantern in my hand, for it was getting late, and the
+carefully darkened room would be as black as ink. The other two
+followed close on my heels. I opened the door and called to the dog. A
+faint, sickly-sweet odour met me as I did so.
+
+"You give your dogs elaborate kennels," said Hilderman, as he climbed
+the stairs, and I laughed in reply.
+
+At that instant Garnesk stood still and sniffed the air. With a sudden
+jerk he wrenched the lantern from my hand and strode into the room.
+Sholto was gone. Only half his chain dangled from the hook, cut
+through the middle with a pair of strong wire-nippers.
+
+The oculist turned to us with an expression of acute interest.
+
+"Chloroform," he said quietly.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE CHEMIST'S ROCK.
+
+
+By the time we gave up our hunt for Sholto that night and saw
+Hilderman into the _Baltimore II._ at the landing-stage, the harvest
+moon had splashed the mountain side with patches of silver in reckless
+profusion. But we were in no mood for æsthetics. We applied the
+moonlight to more practical purposes.
+
+"Show me the river, Mr. Ewart," said Garnesk, as we turned away from
+the shore. Accordingly I took him up stream till we came to Dead Man's
+Pool.
+
+"What do you make of things now?" I asked, as we walked along.
+
+"I can't make anything of the stealing of a dog except that someone
+coveted it and has now got it. Can you?"
+
+"No," I answered thoughtfully, "I can't. But it's an extraordinary
+coincidence, at the least; and who on earth could have stolen him? You
+see, no one round here would dream of taking anything that belonged to
+Miss McLeod. And, though Sholto is well enough bred, he's never been
+in a show, and has no reputation. I can't make it out."
+
+"I'm very sorry it happened just now," said the oculist. "I was in
+hopes that by experimenting on the animal I could cure the girl. But
+at any rate that is beyond grieving about now. Is this the place?"
+
+"Yes," I said, "this is Dead Man's Pool. That dim white shape there is
+the Chemist's Rock. It was there that Miss McLeod lost her sight, and
+here that the General had his extraordinary experience. It looks
+innocent and peaceful enough," I added, with a sigh.
+
+"The General was very lucky--very lucky indeed!" murmured my
+companion.
+
+"Why?" I asked.
+
+"He was down here looking at the rock, and he saw some sort of vision;
+Miss McLeod was up at the rock looking down at the pool, and she lost
+her sight. The General might have been looking this way instead of
+that, in which case we might have had another case on our hands."
+
+"Then you think the two adventures are different aspects of the same
+thing? If only we knew where Sholto was it might give us even more to
+go on."
+
+"Have you any tobacco?" he asked abruptly. "I've got a pipe, but I
+left my tobacco in my room."
+
+We were in evening dress, and my pouch and pipe were in the house; so
+I left him there while I ran in to fetch them. When I returned he was
+nowhere to be seen, and for a moment I half suspected some new
+tragedy; but as I looked round I caught the gleam of the moonlight on
+his shirt-front. I found him kneeling on the Chemist's Rock, looking
+out to sea.
+
+"Many thanks, Mr. Ewart," he said, as he handed me back my pouch and
+took the light I offered him. "Ah! I'm glad to see you smoke real
+tobacco. By the way," he added, "have you a friend--a real friend--you
+can trust?"
+
+"I have, thank God!" I replied fervently. "Why?"
+
+"I should like you to send for him. Do anything you can to get him
+here at once. Go and drag him here, if you like--only get him here."
+
+"But why this urgency?" I asked again. "I admit that we have some very
+horrible natural phenomena to deal with; but, apart from the fact that
+some wretched poacher has stolen a dog, we have no human element to
+fear. I don't see how he can help, and he might run a risk himself."
+
+"Never mind--fetch him or send for him. If you could have seen
+yourself start when you returned to the pool yonder to find me
+missing, you would realise that your nervous system would be the
+better for a little congenial companionship. Frankly, Mr. Ewart, I
+don't like the idea of you being left alone here during the next few
+days with a blind girl and an old man--if you'll pardon me for being
+so blunt."
+
+"But you'll be here," I said; "and I hope you will have something to
+say to us that will put nerves out of the question when you have
+examined Myra."
+
+Garnesk rose to his feet and laid a friendly hand on my arm.
+
+"As soon as I've seen what this place looks like at a quarter-past
+four to a quarter-past five in the afternoon I shall leave you."
+
+"But--good heavens, man!" I cried, aghast, "you won't leave us like
+that. We hoped for so much from your visit. You can't realise, man,
+what it may mean to--to us all! You see----"
+
+"My dear chap," said my companion, cutting me short with a laugh, "it
+is just because I do realise that my presence here may be dangerous to
+Miss McLeod that I propose to leave."
+
+"Dangerous to her?" I gasped. "What on earth do you mean now?" The
+whole world seemed to have taken leave of its senses, and I mentally
+vowed that I should wire for Dennis first thing in the morning.
+
+"I say that because her dog has been drugged and taken away."
+
+"But some fool of a poacher was responsible for that!" I cried.
+
+My companion looked at me thoughtfully as he puffed at his pipe.
+
+"I was the cause of the dog's disappearance," he said quietly.
+
+"I see what you're driving at," I said. "You pretended to steal the
+dog because you were afraid Myra would make overwhelming objections to
+your vivisecting him, or whatever you want to do. Of course, now I see
+you would be the only person about Invermalluch Lodge likely to have
+chloroform. But even then I don't see what you mean by saying that
+your presence here would be dangerous to Miss McLeod."
+
+"That's a very ingenious construction to put on my words, my dear
+fellow," he said; "but in my mind I was relying on you to overcome my
+patient's objections to any experiments that might be deemed advisable
+on her dog. I meant something much more serious than that. I have
+known you only a few hours, Mr. Ewart; but nobody need tell me you are
+anything of a fool, unless he wants a very flat contradiction. You are
+looking at this affair from a personal point of view--and no wonder,
+either. But if you were not so worried about your _fiancée_ your brain
+would have grasped my point at once. That is why I want you to send
+for a friend."
+
+"I will," I promised solemnly. "Now tell me--what did you mean?"
+
+"When I said I was the cause of the dog's disappearance, I meant that
+if I hadn't arrived on the scene the dog would never have been
+touched. The dog was taken by someone who knew he was blind, who knew
+that I would experiment on him, and who was determined to get there
+first."
+
+"But," I exclaimed, "that would be carrying professional jealousy a
+bit too far--if that's what you mean!"
+
+"It would be carrying it so far that we can rule it out of court," he
+answered. "So that's what I don't mean. Let's go back and analyse the
+occurrence. I say the dog was not stolen by poachers, because of the
+chloroform; you said the same yourself. I say that the thief knew the
+dog was blind, because he knew he was in a darkened room above the
+coach-house, and he stole him from there. A poacher would have gone to
+the kennel, and found it empty--and that would have been the end of
+that. But the man who knew the dog was in a special room must have
+known why he was there; and it seems to me that the man who steals a
+blind dog steals him because, for some reason or other, he wants a
+blind dog--that very one, probably. Have you got me?"
+
+"Yes," I said, "I follow you so far. Go on." And I was surprised to
+find how relieved I was at this suggested complication. I felt that if
+we could only attribute this amazing week of mysteries to some human
+agent I should be able to grapple with it.
+
+"Now I come to my main point," Garnesk continued, "and it's this: The
+man who wanted Sholto because he was blind wanted him to experiment
+on. But no professional man would do a thing like that, even supposing
+there to be one about. That motive again is ruled out of court. There
+remains one possible solution----"
+
+"Well?" I asked breathlessly, for even now I failed to grasp the
+conclusion my scientific companion could be coming to. "Go on!"
+
+"If this thief did not want Sholto to experiment on himself, he stole
+the dog in order to prevent me from experimenting on him."
+
+I laughed aloud from sheer excitement and the relief of finding some
+tangible thing to go on, for the oculist's argument struck me as very
+nearly perfect.
+
+"You ought to be at Scotland Yard," I said. "You seem to me to have
+hit the nail on the head."
+
+"The two callings are very closely allied," he said modestly.
+"Detectives deal with murderers and thieves, and I with nerves and
+tissues. It is all a question of diagnosis."
+
+"I must say I think you've diagnosed this case very well, Mr.
+Garnesk," I said, "though we are just at the beginning of our troubles
+if what you suppose is correct."
+
+"I can't think of any other solution," he answered thoughtfully; "and
+we are, as you say, just at the beginning of our troubles. The first
+thing to do is----"
+
+"To find the man who stole the dog," I cut in.
+
+"To find the man who knew the dog was blind," he corrected. "By that
+means we may come to the man who stole the dog; then we may get his
+reason from his own lips, if we are exceptionally lucky. But I fancy I
+can supply his motive, failing a full confession."
+
+"You can?" I cried. "Let's hear it."
+
+"You've thought of one yourself, of course?" he asked.
+
+"The only motive I can think of is too fantastic altogether. It is
+weak enough to presuppose that someone has a grievance against Miss
+McLeod or the General, and that someone took advantage of the
+extraordinary circumstances to steal Sholto, and if possible prevent
+Myra getting her sight back. Oh, it's too ridiculous!"
+
+"We have to remember," my companion suggested, "that our unknown
+quantity not only knew that the dog was blind, but also knew that I
+was coming or had arrived, and would probably experiment on the beast.
+It argues a very terrible urgency that the animal disappeared within
+an hour or two of my arrival. From all that I deduce what seems to me
+the only possible motive. The dog was stolen by the man who made Miss
+McLeod blind."
+
+"_Made_ her blind!" I cried. "You don't seriously mean that you think
+someone--some fiend of hell--deliberately blinded her?"
+
+"Not deliberately," my companion replied. "But I believe it was
+through some human agency that she was blinded. I think some person or
+persons were anxious that Miss McLeod should remain blind, in case we
+should, in the process of recovering her sight, hit upon the cause of
+her losing it."
+
+In silence I sat for a few moments, thinking over this extraordinary
+new outlook. I must certainly wire for Dennis in the morning.
+
+"Mr. Garnesk," I said presently, "you are bringing a very terrible
+charge against some human monster whom we have yet to discover. But I
+must admit that you seem to have logic on your side. It remains for
+me to discover who these people are--if there are more than one."
+
+"Yes," he mused; "that is what we must discover."
+
+"We!" I exclaimed. "Then you're not going away?"
+
+"Yes," he said. "I think it would be fairer to you all if I left you.
+I think my arrival has done some good--my departure may do more. But I
+assure you, Mr. Ewart, I shall not give up this case till Miss McLeod
+recovers her sight. I give you my hand on that."
+
+I shook hands with him warmly.
+
+"Thank you," I said, as I noticed the eager look on his keen, handsome
+face. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To-morrow I hope I shall
+find the man who knew Sholto was blind."
+
+"I only know of one outside the General's household," he answered.
+
+"But I don't even know that!" I cried, forgetting Dennis for the
+moment. As for Olvery, he had gone clean out of my mind. "Who do you
+mean?"
+
+"The American," said my companion.
+
+"Hilderman!" I exclaimed. "Surely you must be mistaken. Why, he was
+absolutely astonished when we told him. He can't have known."
+
+"Still," Garnesk insisted, "I felt sure he knew. I suspected something
+about him, but I was wrong to do that, quite wrong; I admit that now.
+I couldn't at first see why he pretended he hadn't heard that Sholto
+was blind. You may have noticed that I tried to give him the
+impression that I had examined Miss McLeod and come to the conclusion
+that I could do nothing. I confess I did that to see how he took it.
+But I was on a wrong scent altogether. He knew about the dog, that was
+obvious, but it was also obvious that he hadn't been told from an
+official source, so to speak. He kept fishing for information. He
+brought up the dog several times, each time with a query mark in his
+voice--as you might say. He remarked that the _last_ time he saw Miss
+McLeod she had her beautiful dog with her. That made me suspicious,
+because from what you told me she always had her dog with her. Then he
+said her dog must be feeling it very keenly, you remember. I tried him
+with my pessimistic conclusions to see how he took it. You see, as
+soon as I saw the dog I put contagious disease out of the question.
+Natural forces unguided seemed impossible, but natural forces of some
+nature that we can't yet understand seemed probable. Still I was wrong
+to suspect Hilderman, quite wrong. Besides he couldn't possibly have
+stolen the dog."
+
+"I'm glad you feel you were wrong there," I said, "because I rather
+like the man. I shouldn't care to have to suspect him."
+
+"Don't suspect him, whatever you do," said the oculist earnestly.
+"Whatever you do, don't do that. He might be very useful. Make a
+friend of him. You'll want all your friends."
+
+He rose and stretched his legs, and I followed suit. We stood for a
+moment on the Chemist's Rock and gazed up the river, over the top of
+the falls, into the silver and purple symphony of a highland night.
+Presently my companion turned and took my arm.
+
+"I've seen all I want to see," he said as he began to lead me down to
+the pool again. "They'll wonder what has become of us. And as I've
+seen enough for one night, let's get back to the house."
+
+"It's a wonderful view at any time of the day or night," I agreed, and
+I sighed as I thought of poor Myra.
+
+"It must be," said Garnesk absently, picking his way across the rocks.
+"It must be a magnificent view. I haven't noticed it; you must bring
+me here to-morrow."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+MISTS OF UNCERTAINTY.
+
+
+When we got back to the house we found Myra and her father--not
+unnaturally--wondering what had become of us.
+
+"What have you been doing, and where have you been, and what do you
+mean by it?" she asked, playfully. "I wish I could see you. I'm sure
+you must be looking very guilty."
+
+Garnesk and I exchanged hurried glances. It was obvious from her
+remark that the General had not told her of Sholto's disappearance. I
+decided there and then that I would have to tell her the whole truth
+myself, and I gave the others a pretty broad hint that we would like
+to be left alone. I left the drawing-room and went with them to the
+library, and answered the old man's feverish questions as to the
+result of our search.
+
+Then I returned to Myra. It was a difficult and unpleasant task that I
+had to perform, but I got through it somehow; and, as I expected, Myra
+was very distressed about her dog, but not in the least frightened. I
+had thought it wiser not to acquaint her with the specialist's
+deductions as to the connection between her own affliction and the
+theft of Sholto. When I had given her as many particulars as I thought
+advisable, the other two rejoined us.
+
+"Can you think of anyone at all, Miss McLeod," the specialist asked,
+"who would be likely to steal Sholto?"
+
+"I can't," the girl replied helplessly. "I wish I could."
+
+"The two classes of people we want to find," I suggested, "are those
+who like Sholto so much as to be prepared to steal him, and those who
+dislike him so much as to be anxious to destroy him."
+
+"You don't think they'll hurt him," she cried, anxiously. "Poor old
+fellow! It's bad enough his being blind; but I would rather know he
+was dead than being ill-treated."
+
+"It's much more likely to be the act of some very human person who
+covets his neighbour's goods," said Garnesk, reassuringly. "But, at
+the same time, we must not overlook the other possibility. Can you
+remember anyone who does dislike the dog?"
+
+"Only one," said Myra, thoughtfully, "and I don't think he could have
+done it. He has a small croft away up above Tor Beag, and Sholto and
+I were up there one day; but it's months ago. Sholto went nosing round
+as usual, and the man came out and got very excited in Gaelic--and you
+know how excited one can be in that language. He was very rude to me
+about the dog, and it made me rather suspicious. I told daddy about it
+after."
+
+"Yes, and I hope you won't go wandering about so far from home
+without saying where you're going in future, my dear; because----"
+said the old man, and pulled himself up in pained confusion as he
+realised the tragic significance of his words.
+
+"Some sort of poacher, perhaps," suggested Garnesk, coming quickly to
+the rescue.
+
+"An illicit whisky still somewhere about, more likely," Myra replied.
+And as she could think of no other likely person, and the crofter
+seemed out of the question, we had to confess ourselves puzzled. I had
+hoped that Myra would have been able to give us some clue with which
+we could have satisfied her, while we kept our suspicions to
+ourselves. Then we left Myra with the specialist, who made a temporary
+examination. In twenty minutes he assured us that he could make
+nothing of the case, but that he was willing to stake his reputation
+that there was nothing organically wrong; and he gave us, so far as he
+dared, distinct reason to hope that she would eventually regain full
+possession of her lost faculty. So, after general rejoicings all
+round, in which I quite forgot the mystery of the man who stole the
+dog, I went to bed feeling ten years younger, and slept like a top.
+
+When I awoke in the morning much of my elation of spirit had
+evaporated, and I felt again the oppression of surrounding tragedy. I
+got up immediately--it was just after six--dressed, and went down
+to bathe. I was strolling down the drive, with a towel round my
+neck, when Garnesk put his head out of his window and shouted that
+he would join me. The tide being in, we saved ourselves a walk to
+the diving-rock, as the point was called, and bathed from the
+landing-stage. Refreshed by the swim, we determined to scour the
+country-side for any tracks of the thief.
+
+"What beats me is how anybody in a place like this, where everybody
+for miles round knows more about you than you do yourself, could
+get rid of an enormous beast like Sholto. He was big even for a Dane,
+and his weight must have been tremendous when he was drugged," said
+Garnesk, as we walked up the beach path. "Have you ever tried to carry
+a man who's fainted?"
+
+"I have," I answered with feeling, "and I quite agree with you. If the
+thief wanted to do away with the dog the beast's body is probably
+somewhere near."
+
+"What about the river?" my companion suggested.
+
+"More likely the loch," I decided, "or the sea. But that would mean
+a boat, because it would have to be buried in deep water, or the
+body would be washed up again on the rocks, even with a heavy weight
+attached. There are many deep pools in the river, but they are
+constantly fished, and that would lead to eventual detection. We are
+dealing with a man who knows his way about. It might be the loch or
+one of the burns, easily."
+
+Accordingly we decided to try the loch first; but though we followed
+the path from the house, carefully studying the ground every foot of
+the way, and examined the banks equally carefully, we were forced to
+the conclusion that we were on the wrong scent. Then we came down one
+of the burns that runs from the loch to the sea, and met with the same
+result.
+
+"We'll walk along the beach and go up the next stream," Garnesk
+suggested. "Hullo," he exclaimed suddenly, as we clambered over the
+huge rocks into a tiny cove, "there's been a boat in here!"
+
+I looked at the shingly beach, and saw the keel-marks of a boat and
+the footprints of its occupants in the middle of the cove. We went up
+gingerly, for fear of disturbing the ground of our investigations. I
+looked at the marks, and pondered them for a moment. By this time my
+senses were wide awake.
+
+"What do you make of it?" the oculist asked.
+
+"Well," I replied, with an apologetic laugh, "I'm afraid you'll
+think me more picturesque than businesslike if I tell you all the
+conclusions I've already come to; but the man who came ashore in
+this boat didn't steal Sholto."
+
+"Go on," he said. "Why, I told you I knew you weren't a fool."
+
+"Thank you!" I laughed. "It seems to me that if a man arrived in a
+boat and went ashore to steal a dog, he would go away again in the
+same boat."
+
+"And didn't he?"
+
+"I feel convinced he didn't," I replied, and pointed out to him what
+must have been obvious to both of us. "Compare the keel-marks with
+high-water mark. There is less than half a boat's length of keel-mark,
+and it is just up above high-water mark. This craft, which appears to
+have been a small rowing-boat, was run ashore at high tide, or very
+near it, and run out again very quickly. It might conceivably have
+come in and been caught up by the sea. But Sholto was stolen between a
+quarter past eight and half-past nine, when the tide was well on the
+way out. If Sholto went out to sea it was not in this boat."
+
+"Well," said Garnesk, thoughtfully, "your point is good enough for me.
+We must look somewhere else."
+
+"I hope my attempts at detective work will not put us off the scent,"
+I said, doubtfully.
+
+"I don't think they will, Ewart," said my companion, graciously. "Not
+in this case, anyway. I'm sure you're right, because this bay can be
+seen from the top windows of the house."
+
+"You evidently reached my conclusions with half the effort in half the
+time," I laughed.
+
+"Oh, nonsense!" he exclaimed. "It was you who pointed out that the
+one man in this boat came in daylight."
+
+"Why 'one man' so emphatically?" I asked.
+
+"When two men come in a boat to commit a theft, and only one of them
+goes ashore, the other would hardly be expected to sit in the boat and
+twiddle his thumbs. It's a thousand pounds to a penny that he would
+get out and walk about the beach. Now, only one gentleman came ashore
+from this boat, and only one got on board again. One set of footprints
+going and one coming decided me on that. Besides, if anyone came along
+and saw a solitary man sitting in a boat, they might ask him how his
+wife and children were, and he would have to reply; whereas an empty
+boat, being unable to answer questions, would raise no suspicions."
+
+"You seem to be arguing that this boat may have been the one we are
+looking for," I pointed out; "and yet we are agreed that the state of
+the tide made it impossible for Sholto to have been taken away in it."
+
+"Yes," said Garnesk, "I agree to that. But I fancy the thief came by
+that boat. It seems to me that our man jumps out of the boat, runs
+ashore, and his friend pulls away and picks him up elsewhere--probably
+nearer the house. It would look perfectly natural for a man who has
+apparently been giving a companion a pull across from Skye, say, to
+land him and then go back. The more I think of this the more it
+interests me. You see, if the top windows of the house can be seen
+from the bay, it means that the lower windows can be seen from the top
+of the cliff. If we can find where our thief lay in wait on the cliff
+and watched the house, probably with his eyes glued on the dining-room
+windows to see when we commenced dinner, if we can also find where he
+left his sea-boots while he went to the house, and then where he
+rejoined his companion, we are getting on."
+
+"What makes you say 'sea-boots'?" I asked. "You can't tell a top-boot
+by the footmarks."
+
+"Indirectly you can," Garnesk replied, puffing thoughtfully at his
+pipe. "That boat was pulled in and pushed out by a man who exerted
+hardly any pressure, although the beach only slopes gently. His
+companion did not lend a hand by pushing her out with an oar; if he
+had done so we should have seen the marks, and I couldn't find any.
+The only other way to account for it is that our friend, who exerted
+so little pressure, was wearing sea-boots and walked into the water
+with the boat. Had he been alone, the jerk of his final jump into the
+boat would have left a deeper impression on the beach. The tide was
+just going out; it would have no time to wash this mark away. I looked
+for the mark, and it wasn't there; so I came to the final conclusion
+that two men arrived in the cove shortly after seven last night in a
+small open boat. One of them--a tall, left-handed man in
+sea-boots--pushed the boat out again and went ashore."
+
+I am afraid I was rude enough to shout with laughter at this very
+definite statement; but it was mainly with excited admiration that I
+laughed--certainly not with ridicule. Garnesk turned to me
+apologetically.
+
+"I know it sounds far-fetched, my dear chap," he said; "but we shall
+have to think a lot over this business, and I am simply thinking aloud
+in order that you can give me your help in my own conclusions."
+
+"My dear fellow," I cried, "don't, for heaven's sake, imagine that I
+am laughing at you. It was the left-handed touch that made me guffaw
+with sheer excitement."
+
+"Well, I think he was left-handed, because the footmarks were going
+ashore on the right-hand side of the keel-marks, and going seawards on
+the left-hand side. Jump out of a boat and push it out to sea, and
+notice which side of the boat you stand by instinct--provided you were
+doing as he was, pushing on the point of the bows. The fact that his
+feet obliterate the keel-marks in one place proves that. So now we
+want to find a left-handed man in sea-boots who knew Sholto was
+blind"--and he laughed in a half-apology.
+
+"What about these sea-boots," I asked, "and the place we are to find
+where he left them?"
+
+"We'll look for that now; and if we find it we can be pretty sure our
+mariner stole the dog."
+
+"You seem to be taking it for granted already," I pointed out.
+
+"The easiest way to prove he didn't is to satisfy ourselves that
+there's no evidence he did," said the oculist. "But I fancy he did."
+
+"From the way you've sized it up so far I should be inclined to back
+your fancy," I admitted frankly. "I take it, from your diagnosis, that
+our nautical friend came ashore here, went up on to the cliff, and
+glued his eye to the dining-room window. When he saw we were at
+dinner, and it was getting dusk--in fact, almost dark--he took off his
+sea-boots and slipped up to the Lodge in his stocking-soles. So if we
+climb the cliff, we expect to find the spot on which he deposited his
+boots."
+
+"If we expected that," Garnesk replied, "we should also expect to find
+his boots; and he wouldn't be likely to leave such incriminating
+evidence in our hands as that. No, my dear Ewart; when he left the
+cliff he was wearing his boots, and he left them at some point on the
+path between the house and his embarking place. Come--let's look."
+
+I was intensely interested in my friend's deductions, and I felt
+convinced that he was right. So we climbed the cliff, he by one route
+and I by another, in order to see if we could find any traces of last
+night's visitor. But that was impossible; the rocks were too
+storm-swept to harbour any sort of lichen which would have shown
+evidence of footmarks. Still, we were not disappointed when we reached
+the top, and Garnesk looked at me with a charming expression of boyish
+triumph when we came across a patch of ground where the heather had
+obviously been trampled about and worn down by someone recently lying
+there.
+
+"I don't think we'll worry about tracing him from here just now," said
+the specialist. "It would be a very difficult job, and we may as well
+make for the most likely spot to embark from."
+
+"Right you are," I agreed. "I think there can only be one--that is a
+secluded little inlet, almost hidden by the rocks on the other side of
+the house."
+
+"Come on, let's have a look at it," my companion urged; and we
+blundered down the side of the cliff and hurried along the shore. But
+when we came to the small bay which I had in mind there was certainly
+some sign of disturbance among the rough gravel with which the shore
+was carpeted; and that was all the evidence we could find.
+
+"It is such an ideal spot for the job that this almost knocks our
+theory on the head," murmured Garnesk ruefully. "There are no
+boat-marks, or anything."
+
+"Which, in a way, bears out your diagnosis," I cried, suddenly
+hitting on what I thought to be the solution of the difficulty.
+
+"How, in heaven's name?"
+
+"Our old friend the tide," I declared, with returning confidence.
+
+"Of course," he almost shouted. "I've got you, Ewart. The boat came in
+here while the tide was going out--when, in fact, it was some distance
+out, possibly nearly an hour after it ran into the other cove. Since
+then the tide has come in again and obliterated any marks the men may
+have made. If we find any evidence on a line running between this
+place and the house, we can call it a certainty."
+
+In feverish excitement we hurried towards the house, casting anxious
+glances to right and left, but the stubborn heather showed no sign of
+any recent passenger that way. At last Garnesk, who was some distance
+to my right, hailed me with an exultant shout. There, sure enough, was
+a broad patch bearing marks of recent occupation, much the same as the
+other at the top of the cliff. We were able easily to distinguish the
+exact spot where the thief had laid the unconscious dog while he put
+on his boots. The discovery of an unmistakable footprint in a more
+marshy spot, which could only have been imprinted by a stockinged
+foot, completed my friend's triumph.
+
+"My dear fellow," I cried heartily, slapping my companion on the back,
+"I congratulate you. If you go on like this we shall have the dog and
+the thief in no time."
+
+"It will be some days, even at this rate," he warned me solemnly,
+"before we get as far as that. Now, back to the embarking-point, and
+see if we can reconstruct the thing fully."
+
+So we retraced our steps, and studied the shingle once more, but
+failed to discover any marks of any value. Then we sat down, and the
+oculist drew a vivid picture of the journey the thief had made. At
+last, feeling more than satisfied with our work, we rose to go in to
+breakfast.
+
+"Ewart, I want you to wire for that friend of yours before you do
+anything else. You may want him soon. I will leave by the morning
+train to-morrow, but I shall continue on this case till the mystery is
+solved. In the meantime, you will need someone you can trust at your
+side all the time."
+
+"I'll go into Glenelg, and wire immediately after breakfast," I
+promised. "Hullo, more reflections," I laughed, and pointed to a
+small, bright object some distance away on the rocks, which was
+catching the glint of the sun.
+
+"We seem to be surrounded by a spying army of glittering objects,"
+laughed my companion, as we strolled on. We had walked some forty
+yards when some instinct--I know not what--prompted me to investigate
+the affair. I turned back, and went to pick up the shining object,
+though for the life of me I could not have told you what I expected
+to find.
+
+"Garnesk!" I bawled. "Garnesk! Come here!"
+
+"What is it?" he shouted to me, as he came hurtling over the rocks.
+
+"Look at it," I replied tersely, and placed it in his outstretched
+palm. He glanced at it, and then at me.
+
+"That settles it," he said, and whistled softly, for I had found a
+small piece of brass, and on it was engraved:--
+
+"Sholto, The Douglas, Invermalluch Lodge, Inverness-shire."
+
+It was the name-plate from Sholto's collar.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+THE MYSTERY OF SHOLTO.
+
+
+We discussed our discovery pretty thoroughly on the way back to the
+house, and both agreed that it left no doubt upon one aspect of this
+strange affair--the man who stole Sholto was no ordinary thief.
+
+The General was standing on the verandah, looking about for us, as we
+came up the beach path. I told him of Garnesk's deductions and their
+interesting result, and the old man was greatly affected.
+
+"I never dreamt I should live to see the old place abused in this
+shocking manner," he grunted. "'Pon me soul, it's--it's begad
+disgraceful. I've lived here all my life, on and off, and I've never
+been troubled with anything like this, scarcely so much as a tramp
+even. I hope to God it'll soon be over, that's all."
+
+"Thanks to Mr. Garnesk, we're moving along in the right direction," I
+tried to reassure him. "And we have the satisfaction, in one way, of
+being able to tell Myra that Sholto is still alive, even if we don't
+know where he is."
+
+"Seems to me, Ronald," said the General, "you don't know that, or
+anything about the poor beast, except that he has been stolen, and
+probably taken away in a boat. Judging by Mr. Garnesk's theory, they
+probably threw him overboard in deep water."
+
+"No one who intended destroying a dog would take the trouble to wrench
+the name-plate off his collar," I pointed out. "The dog is alive, and
+not unconscious. They need his collar to keep him in hand, but they
+are afraid the plate might give them away. Mr. Garnesk is right, I'm
+sure, and if we find the thief we find the cause for Myra's terrible
+misfortune."
+
+"Where do you imagine they can have taken him to then? Seems to me
+we're getting some pretty queer neighbours."
+
+"That is just what we have to find out," said Garnesk, "and I for one
+will not rest until I do."
+
+"'Pon my soul, my dear chap," said the old man warmly, "it's very good
+of you to take so much interest in the affairs of total strangers. It
+is, indeed, thundering good of you."
+
+"Not at all, General," laughed the visitor. "If you spent your life
+trying to cure fussy ladies of imaginary eye trouble, without putting
+it to them that their livers are out of order, you'd welcome this as a
+very appetising antidote."
+
+"Talking about appetites," his host suggested, "who says breakfast?"
+
+"I fancy we both do," I answered, and we turned indoors.
+
+During breakfast Garnesk announced his determination to devote as much
+of the day as necessary to an examination of Myra, and then catch the
+evening train from Mallaig, but the girl herself rose in rebellion at
+this immediately.
+
+"You mustn't do anything of the sort," she declared emphatically.
+"Daddy, tell him he's not to. The idea of coming up here, and looking
+at me, and then going away again! It's ridiculous!"
+
+"I assure you, it is ample reward," declared the oculist gallantly,
+and everybody laughed at the frank compliment.
+
+"But you must fish the river, have a day on the loch. Ron must take
+you in the motor-boat up to Kinlochbourn. Then you've simply got to
+see Scavaig and Coruisk--oh! and a hundred other things besides."
+
+Garnesk insisted that, much as he would like to stay, he felt bound to
+leave at once, but Myra was equally obstinate; and, as was natural,
+being a woman, she won on a compromise. Garnesk agreed to stay over
+the week-end. I was very glad that Myra liked my new friend. She had
+been very shy of Olvery, but she took an immediate fancy to the
+Glasgow specialist. She liked his voice, she told me afterwards, and
+on the second day of his visit she asked him if his sister was very
+much younger than he. Garnesk looked up in surprise.
+
+"One of them is," he replied, "nearly twenty years. What made you
+ask?"
+
+"I guessed it by the way you talk to me," Myra declared confidently.
+
+"The detective instinct seems to be in the air," I laughed.
+
+So when I borrowed Angus's ramshackle old cycle, and went into Glenelg
+along a road which is more noteworthy for its picturesqueness than its
+navigable qualities, I left Garnesk to his examination with the
+knowledge that he would do his utmost, and that she would help him all
+she could.
+
+I wired to Dennis: "I can meet you at Mallaig Monday morning. Wire
+reply.--RONALD." Then I sent a couple of picture postcards to Tommy
+and Jack, wishing them luck, and explaining that I had not returned to
+join them because Myra was ill. I was sure Dennis would appreciate the
+urgency of my message, but I worded it carefully, deliberately making
+it appear to be the answer to an inquiry, for the reason that it is
+always wise to do as little as you can to stimulate local gossip.
+Anything like "Come at once; most urgent," despatched by one who was
+known to be a visitor at the lodge, would have set the entire
+country-side talking. So I jumped on to Angus's collection of old
+metal, and jolted back again as fast as I could. Garnesk was still
+engaged with Myra, and I took the opportunity of a chat with her
+father.
+
+"Would you care to see the discoveries we made this morning?" I asked,
+when I found him in the library.
+
+"Yes, I should indeed, my boy," he responded eagerly, and I think he
+was glad of the diversion. "I'll come with you now."
+
+"There is one thing I want to say, sir, before we go any farther."
+
+"What is it?" he asked, looking rather anxiously at me.
+
+"I want to tell you," I said, "that in the event of Myra not regaining
+her sight I should like your permission to marry her as soon as she
+herself wishes it. As you know, I have a small private income, which
+is sufficient for my needs in London, and would be more than I should
+require up here. If Myra is to be blind, I should like to marry her in
+order that I may always be able to take care of her, and I should
+propose to settle down somewhere near you. I dabble in contributory
+journalism, and I could extend that as far as possible, and I might
+even do pretty well at it. Both she and you would know then that, in
+the event of anything happening to you, she would be cared for by
+someone she loves."
+
+"My dear Ronald," exclaimed the old man, affectionately laying a hand
+on my shoulder, "I'm very glad to hear you say that. As a matter of
+fact, whatever happens, I don't care how soon you marry my dear girl.
+She wants it with all her heart, and I have always been fond of you
+myself. The only thing that has held me back up to now is the question
+of money, and, possibly, a little selfishness. I'm not a rich man, as
+you know, and if it were not for my pension I couldn't even live in
+my father's house. But now my one desire is to see my poor little girl
+happy, and we'll scrape together a shilling or two somehow. Shake
+hands, my boy."
+
+We both of us forgot all about the terrible war, and, naturally
+enough, the mysterious trouble which faced us then was sufficient for
+the moment. Having settled that question at last, I conducted the old
+man to the small cove where we had made our first discovery, but we
+began by visiting the coach-house. I daresay that to the trained eye
+there may have been valuable evidence lying under our very noses, but
+the only confused marks which we found on the surrounding ground
+conveyed nothing to either of us. Later, on our way back to the house,
+from what we now called "the embarking-point," we came upon a spot
+where the heather had been cut off in fairly large quantities. The old
+man stood, and contemplated the shorn stumps for a moment, and shook
+his head solemnly. It was not that he had any sentimental regret for
+the heather which grew on almost every inch of ground for hundreds of
+miles round, but he objected to the sign of visitors, or, as he would
+have said, "trippers."
+
+"Who would want to cut heather here?" I asked, for I could not see the
+slightest reason for gathering anything which could be obtained at
+your door wherever you lived in the Highlands.
+
+"Holiday-makers," he said ruefully. "They take rooms in the village,
+and get it into their heads that the heather in one spot is better
+than anything else for miles round, so they walk out to that spot, and
+cut some to take away with them when they go back home. I wish they'd
+always go back home and stop there."
+
+When I showed the General the keel-marks in the cove and explained to
+him in detail how Garnesk had arrived at his conclusions, the old man
+was quite awed.
+
+"'Pon me soul, he must be thundering clever, thundering clever," he
+muttered. "But it's not healthy, you know, Ronald; in fact, it's begad
+unhealthy. I've always been a bit scared of these people who see
+things that are not there. Still, I suppose it's the modern way;
+reading all these detective yarns and so on does it, no doubt."
+
+He was still marvelling at this new mystery when we got back to the
+house to find Myra sitting on the verandah with the specialist, who
+was keeping her in fits of laughter with anecdotes of some of his
+wealthy women patients.
+
+He sprang up as he saw us approaching, and ran down to meet us.
+
+"I'm certain of one thing," he said excitedly, as he walked between
+us, and answered the General's question. "We have got to solve the
+mystery, and she will see again. This is something new, but it has a
+very simple solution, which we must find out by hook or by crook.
+When I know how Miss McLeod lost her sight I shall very likely be able
+to find out how to restore it, and I shall also know something that
+perhaps no other oculist has ever dreamed of. There isn't the
+slightest sign of any organic disease, which probably means that
+Nature will assert herself, and she will eventually regain her sight
+naturally. But we mustn't wait for that. We've got to be up and doing.
+I tell you, sir, I wouldn't have missed this for anything. Have you
+been exploring?"
+
+"We've been having a look at those marks which meant so much to you
+and conveyed nothing whatever to me, although I was once considered
+something of a scout," the General admitted.
+
+"Did you find anything fresh?"
+
+"No, only some trippers, as the General calls them, had been cutting
+heather," I replied.
+
+"That's not likely to help us much," the oculist agreed, "unless they
+were not trippers at all, and were cutting the heather as a blind.
+What were they like?"
+
+"Oh, we didn't see them. We only saw the results of their iconoclasm.
+The heather was recently, but not freshly, cut," I replied, and the
+old man glanced at me with some slight suspicion, as if he feared I,
+too, was about to take up the deduction business.
+
+"Recent, but not fresh?" muttered Garnesk.
+
+"Now, why should a man who wanted----Good heavens! I've got it."
+
+"What _are_ you dear people getting so excited about?" Myra asked, for
+by this time we had almost reached the verandah.
+
+"We'll tell you in a minute, dear," I called, and waited for Garnesk
+to explain.
+
+"Of course," he continued, as if thinking aloud, "it's obvious. The
+man came ashore in a small boat, picked some heather, and carried it
+in his arms. Anyone who noticed him would have noticed his load of
+heather. Then he stole Sholto, concealed him under the heather, and
+was still apparently only carrying a bundle of innocent heath. Why!
+they seem to have thought of everything, and made no mistake."
+
+"Except that the man was wandering about the country-side, gathering
+wild flowers, in his stockinged soles," I pointed out.
+
+"Still, it was almost dark, and he chanced that," said Garnesk.
+
+"What I don't understand about it is this," the General joined in:
+"Where did he come from to gather this heather? A man must know that
+if he is seen to come ashore and pick heather and get into his boat
+again he is doing a very curious thing. That boat can only have come
+from Knoydart or Skye at the farthest, and everybody knows you
+wouldn't take heather there."
+
+"Yes, I'm afraid you're right, General," Garnesk admitted, with a
+sigh of regret, and I was compelled to agree with him.
+
+"I know where he came from, then."
+
+It was said so quietly that it startled us all, though it was Myra who
+spoke.
+
+"Where, then?" we all asked together.
+
+"He must have come from a yacht."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+THE SECRET OF THE ROCK.
+
+
+We made exhaustive inquiries everywhere, but no one had seen a yacht
+anchored or otherwise resting off the point the previous night. One or
+two vessels had been noticed passing the mouth of Loch Hourn during
+the evening, but they were mostly recognisable as belonging to
+residents in the neighbourhood, and in any case not one of them had
+been seen to drop the two men in a boat who were causing us so much
+anxiety. When Garnesk and I went up the river to the Chemist's Rock we
+were equally unsuccessful there.
+
+"Look here," I said, "suppose you were to go blind, Mr. Garnesk? I
+can't allow you to run any risks of that sort. We have every reason to
+know that there is something gruesome and uncanny about this spot, and
+I should feel happier if you would keep at a safe distance."
+
+"How about yourself?" he replied.
+
+"It's a personal affair with me," I pointed out, "but I can't let your
+kindness in assisting us as you are doing run the length of possible
+blindness."
+
+"Nonsense, my dear fellow," he exclaimed; "we're in this together. I
+am just as keen to get to the bottom of this matter as you are. But it
+behoves us both to be careful. It is most important that you should
+take care of yourself at the present moment. What would happen to Miss
+McLeod if I carried you back to the house in a state of total
+blindness?"
+
+"Oh, I shall be all right," I declared confidently. "But, of course,
+your point is a good one, and I shall not run any risks."
+
+"And yet you start by careering up the river here when we have very
+excellent reasons for supposing that it is hardly the place to spend a
+quiet afternoon."
+
+"You don't really believe that there is anything curious about the
+river itself, do you?" I asked. "We have agreed that some human agency
+is responsible for the tragic affliction that has fallen upon poor
+Myra. In that case we are not safe anywhere."
+
+"That's true enough," he agreed, "but everything that has happened so
+far has happened here. Sooner or later, no doubt, the operations will
+be extended to some other region, but at present we know there is a
+possibility of our being overcome by some strange peril between the
+Chemist's Rock and Dead Man's Pool."
+
+"Well, as we don't know how to deal with the danger when it does
+arrive," I suggested, "suppose we see as much as we can from the
+banks. I will go up the centre of the stream and report to you, if you
+like, but you stay here."
+
+"You'll do nothing of the sort," he cried. "I can't imagine what we
+can possibly learn by standing on that rock, but if either of us goes,
+we go together, or I, in my capacity of bachelor unattached, go
+alone."
+
+Naturally, I could only applaud such generous sentiments, and at the
+same time refuse to countenance his proposal. So we sat among the
+heather, some distance above the bank, and awaited developments.
+
+"It is four-twenty now," said my companion presently, looking at his
+watch. "If anything is going to happen it should happen soon."
+
+"Don't you think it was mere coincidence that Myra's blindness and the
+General's strange illusion occurred about this time? Why should this
+green ray only be visible between four and five?"
+
+"It hasn't really been visible at all," Garnesk pointed out. "Miss
+McLeod saw a green flash, and the General saw a green rock, which had
+taken upon itself the responsibilities of transportation. That's all
+we know about the green ray, except the green veil that Miss McLeod
+tells us of. I don't expect to see that."
+
+"I wish I knew what we did expect to see," I sighed.
+
+"Exactly," he replied solemnly. "By the way," he added after a pause,
+"do you see anything peculiar about the rocks or the pool between four
+and five; I mean anything that you couldn't notice at any other time
+of the day?"
+
+"Nothing at all," I answered despondently; "it is pleasanter here then
+than at any other time--or was until we came under this mysterious
+spell."
+
+"Why is it pleasanter?" he asked.
+
+"It is just then that it gets most sunshine," I pointed out.
+
+I made the remark idly enough, for the course of the river, with its
+rugged banks and great massive rocks, looked particularly beautiful as
+the sun streamed full upon it, and I was immeasurably surprised when
+Garnesk jumped to his feet with a shout.
+
+"What is it?" I cried in alarm. "You're not----"
+
+"The sun, Ewart, the sun!" he exclaimed, and, snatching a pair of
+binoculars which I carried in my hand, he dashed up the slope to the
+foot of a cliff that overhung the stream. I gazed after him for a
+moment in astonishment, and then set out in pursuit.
+
+"Stop where you are, man!" he called to me as he turned, and saw me
+tearing after him. "No, no; I want you there. Don't follow me."
+
+I did as I was told, for I trusted him implicitly, and I knew that he
+would not run any risk without first acquainting me of his intention,
+and I took it for granted that he had arranged a part for me to
+play, although he had not had time to tell me what it was. But my
+astonishment increased as I watched him climb the rock, for when he
+arrived a few feet from the summit he sat down on a ledge and calmly
+lighted a cigarette!
+
+"What is it all about?" I called to him, when I had fully recovered
+from my surprise.
+
+"I only wanted to have a look at the view," he laughed back, and put
+the glasses to his eyes. First he examined the house, and then he
+turned his gaze in the direction of the sea. It was then that it
+dawned on me that he was looking for a yacht. This was the fateful
+hour, and it had naturally struck him that the unknown yacht might be
+in the vicinity.
+
+"Well," I shouted, "can you see the yacht?"
+
+"No," he replied, "there's nothing in sight, only a paddle steamer;
+looks like an excursion of some sort."
+
+"Oh! that's the _Glencoe_," I explained; "she won't help us at all.
+She runs with tourists from Mallaig."
+
+"She seems to be barely able to take care of herself," he laughed. "I
+shouldn't like to be on her in a storm."
+
+We conversed fairly easily while he was on the cliff, for we were not
+many yards apart, and I began to wonder when he was coming down again.
+
+"Have you any objection to my joining you?" I asked presently, as
+there seemed to be nothing for me to do below.
+
+"Stop where you are for a bit, old man," he advised. "I shall be down
+in a minute."
+
+"As long as you like," I replied. "You've got a fine view from there,
+anyway. Don't worry about me."
+
+I sat down on a rock, refilled my pipe, and prepared to wait till he
+rejoined me.
+
+"Hi! Ewart!" he called presently, for my mind had already wandered to
+that darkened "den" at the house.
+
+"Hullo," I answered, jumping to my feet. "What is it?"
+
+"Do you notice anything unusual?"
+
+"No," I shouted, "nothing that----," but suddenly I felt a strange
+singing in my ears, my pulses quickened, my voice died away into
+nothing. I looked up at Garnesk; he was leaning perilously near the
+edge of the cliff waving to me. I saw his lips move, yet I heard no
+sound. My heart was thumping against my chest with audible beats. I
+looked round me in every direction. No, there was nothing strange
+happening that the eye could see, yet here was I with a choking
+pulsation in my throat. My temples too were throbbing like a couple of
+steam hammers. Again I looked up at Garnesk; he was climbing hurriedly
+down the cliff. He paused and waved to me, and again his lips moved,
+and again I heard nothing.
+
+Surely, I told myself, the events of the past few days had told on my
+strength. This was nerves, sheer nerves. Garnesk must give me his arm
+to the house. I would lie down and rest, and I should be all right in
+a few moments. It was nerves, that was all. But if Garnesk were not
+very quick about it I should have burst a blood-vessel in my brain
+before he reached me. Already my chest seemed to have swelled to
+twice its size. Garnesk, as I looked, seemed to be farther off than
+ever, a tiny speck in the distance.
+
+The singing in my ears became a rushing torrent. It was the waterfall,
+I told myself; how stupid of me! Of course I should be all right in a
+minute. But my friend must hurry. I collapsed on the rock and gasped
+for breath. I looked for Garnesk. Still he seemed to be as far away as
+ever, and he scarcely seemed to be moving at all. I must tell him to
+be quick. It was simply nerves, of course; but I mustn't let them get
+the better of me, or what would poor Myra do? I staggered to my feet
+to call to Garnesk.
+
+"Hurry up; I'm not well." I framed the words in my brain, but no sound
+passed my lips. I struggled for breath, and called again with all the
+power I could muster. I could not hear myself speak. And then I
+understood! My knees rocked beneath me, the river swirled round me, a
+rowan tree rushed by me in a flash, and as I fell sprawling on my face
+among the heather a thousand hammers seemed to pound the hideous
+sickening truth into the heaving pulp that was once my brain.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+HOW THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.
+
+
+When I came to myself I was lying with my head pillowed on Garnesk's
+arm. My coat and collar were on the ground beside me, and my head and
+shoulders were dripping with water.
+
+"Ah!" said my companion, with a sigh of relief, "that's better. You'll
+be all right in a few minutes, Ewart. Take it easy, old chap, and
+rest."
+
+"Where am I?" I asked. "Good heavens!" I exclaimed, as I heard my own
+voice, and sat bolt upright in my astonishment, "I thought I was
+dumb!"
+
+"Well, never mind about that now, old fellow," Garnesk advised. "We'll
+hear all about that later. Shut your eyes and rest a minute."
+
+"All right," I agreed, "pass me my pipe and I will."
+
+Garnesk laughed aloud as he leaned over to reach my coat pocket.
+
+"When a man shouts for his pipe he's a long way from being dead or
+dumb or anything else," he said.
+
+Truth to tell, I was feeling very queer. I was dizzy and confused, but
+I felt that I wanted my pipe to help me collect my thoughts. So I lay
+there for some minutes quietly smoking, and indeed I felt as if I
+could have stayed like that for ever.
+
+"I must have fainted," I explained presently, overlooking the fact
+that Garnesk probably knew more about my ridiculous seizure than I did
+myself. "I don't know when I did a thing like that before," I added,
+beginning to get angry with myself.
+
+"Well, I hope you won't do it again," said my friend fervently. "It's
+not a thing to make a hobby of. And don't you come near this infernal
+river any more until we know something definite."
+
+"You mean that the place has got on my nerves," I said. "I suppose it
+has; I'm very sorry."
+
+"Do you feel well enough to tell me all about it?" he asked, "or would
+you rather wait till we get up to the house?"
+
+"Oh, I'll tell you now," I agreed readily. "We mustn't say anything
+about this at the house." So I told him exactly how I had felt.
+
+"When did it first come on?" he asked.
+
+"When I heard you shout, and jumped up to see what it was. By the way,
+what was it?"
+
+"Well," he replied, "we'll discuss the matter if you wouldn't mind
+releasing my arm?"
+
+"My dear fellow," I cried, sitting up suddenly, as I realised that he
+was still propping up my head, "I'm most awfully sorry."
+
+"Now then," he said, as he lighted his pipe and made himself
+comfortable, "we'll go into the latest development. You remember what
+made me rush off and leave you there?"
+
+"I remember saying something about the sunlight, and you suddenly
+dashed off."
+
+"To tell you the truth, I had very little faith in the theory that at
+this hour, above all, the spook of the Chemist's Rock was active,
+until you pointed out that only about that time is the whole of the
+river course up to the rock, and the whole of the rock itself, flooded
+with sunlight. Then, when you made that remark, I suddenly felt that I
+ought to be on the cliff on the look out for this unknown yacht. We
+connect the two together in some way which we don't yet understand, so
+I meant to go and have a look for the ship. I saw nothing of any
+importance until I shouted to you. Just then I was looking through the
+glasses at the shore. I turned them on the landing-stage and along the
+beach, and I had just lighted on the bay where we explored this
+morning when suddenly, for half a second or so, all the shadows of the
+rocks turned a vivid green, and then as suddenly resumed their natural
+colour again."
+
+"Good heavens!" I exclaimed. "Green again! Can you make anything of it
+at all, Garnesk? I'm sorry I'm such a duffer as to faint at the
+critical moment, when I might have been of some assistance to you.
+What in God's name can it all mean?"
+
+"I'm no further on," he replied bitterly; "in fact, I'm further back."
+
+"Further back!" I cried. "How? I don't see how you can be."
+
+"I'll tell you what my theory was about all this affair, and it struck
+me as a good one--strange, of course, but then, this is a strange
+business."
+
+"It is, indeed," I agreed ruefully. "Well, go on."
+
+"I had an idea, Ewart, that we should find some sort of wireless
+telegraphy at the bottom of this business. I had almost made up my
+mind that we had stumbled across the path of some inventor who was
+working with a new form of wireless transmission. I felt that in that
+way we might account for Miss McLeod's blindness and the blindness of
+the dog. It also seemed to hold good as to the disappearance of
+Sholto. The inventor hears of the extraordinary effect of his
+invention, and is afraid he will get into a mess if it is found out.
+The yacht to experiment from fitted in beautifully. But now all that's
+knocked on the head."
+
+"Why?" I asked. "It seems to me, Garnesk, that you are doing all the
+thinking in this affair, as if you had been used to it all your life.
+Your only trouble is that you're too modest. I take it that because
+you didn't see the yacht when you noticed the green flash you are
+taking it for granted you were wrong to expect it. I must say, old
+chap, I think you've done thundering well, as the General would put
+it, and even if you are prepared to admit your theory has been
+knocked on the head I'm not--at any rate, not until I have a jolly
+good reason. Yet it doesn't seem to matter much what I say or do if
+I'm going to faint like a girl at the first sign of danger. If you
+hadn't come to my rescue I might still be lying there waiting to come
+round, or something," I finished in disgust.
+
+My companion looked at me thoughtfully.
+
+"Ewart," he said, and solemnly shook his head, "you have brought me to
+the very thing that made me say my theory was exploded."
+
+"What thing?" I asked. "Surely my fainting can't have made any
+difference to conclusions you had already come to?"
+
+"But then you see," my friend replied, "you didn't faint. And if I had
+not seen you were in difficulties you would probably never have
+recovered."
+
+"Didn't faint?" I exclaimed. "Well, I don't know what the medical term
+for it is, and I daresay there are several technical phrases for the
+girlish business I went through. That idea of being dumb was simply
+imagination, but I assure you it was just what I should call a
+fainting fit."
+
+"I don't want to alarm you if you're not feeling well," he began
+apologetically.
+
+"Go on," I urged. "I'm as fit as I ever was."
+
+"Well," the young specialist responded, in a serious tone, "if you
+want to know the truth, Ewart, you were suffocated."
+
+"Suffocated!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "What in heaven's name do
+you mean?"
+
+"I can't tell you exactly what I mean because I don't know, but yours
+was certainly not an ordinary fainting fit. To put the whole thing in
+non-medical terms, you were practically drowned on dry land!"
+
+I sat down again--heavily at that. Should we never come to an end of
+these mysterious attacks which were hurled at us in broad daylight
+from nowhere at all?
+
+"I'm not sure that you hadn't better rest before we go into this
+fully, Ewart," Garnesk remarked doubtfully. "You're not by any means
+as fit as you've ever been, in spite of your emphatic assurance."
+
+"Tell me what you think, why you think it, and what you feel we ought
+to do. Why, man, Myra might have been here alone, with no one to
+rescue her and--and----"
+
+"Quite so," said Ewart sympathetically. "So you must comfort yourself
+with the knowledge that it may be a great blessing that she has
+temporarily lost her sight. Now, I say you didn't faint, because,
+medically, I know you didn't. For the same reason I say you were
+suffocating as surely as if you had been drowning. Hang it, my dear
+chap, it's my line of business, you know. I can't account for it, but
+there is the naked fact for you."
+
+"How does this affect your previous conclusions?" I asked. "Before you
+tell me what you think brought on this suffocation I should like to
+hear why you give up your theory."
+
+"Simply because no wireless, or other electric current, could have
+that effect upon you. If you had had an electric shock in any of its
+many curious forms I could have said it bore me out; but, you see,
+it's impossible. And, as I refuse to believe that we are continually
+bumping into new mysteries which have no connection with each other,
+it follows that if this suffocation was not caused by the supposed
+wireless experiments, the other can't have been either."
+
+"I'm not making the slightest imputation on your medical knowledge," I
+ventured, "but are you absolutely certain that you are not mistaken?"
+
+"My dear fellow," he laughed, "for goodness sake don't be so
+apologetic. I can quite see that you find it difficult to believe. But
+I am prepared to swear to it all the same. For one thing, the symptoms
+were unmistakable; for another, it seems impossible that we should
+both faint at exactly the same time and place for no reason at all."
+
+"You didn't faint too, surely?" I cried.
+
+"No," he admitted, "but we might very easily have been suffocated
+together--smothered as surely as the princes in the Tower. When I saw
+you were in difficulties I shouted to you. Obviously you didn't hear
+me. I naturally didn't wait to see what would happen to you; I
+cleared down the cliff, and sprinted to you as fast as I could. When I
+came to within about twenty yards of you I found a difficulty in
+breathing. I went on for a couple of paces, and realised that the air
+was almost as heavy as water. So I rushed back, undid my collar, took
+a deep breath; and bolted in to you, picked you up, and carted you
+here. _Voilà!_ But I very nearly joined you on the ground, and then we
+would never have regained consciousness, either of us. I applied the
+simplest form of artificial respiration to you, dowsed your head, and
+now you're all right. On the whole, Ewart, we can consider ourselves
+very well out of this latest adventure."
+
+"What you're really telling me," I pointed out gratefully, "is that
+you saved my life at the risk of your own. I'm no good at making
+speeches, or anything of that sort, Garnesk, but I thank you, if you
+know what that means. And Myra will----"
+
+"Not a word to her, Ewart," my companion interrupted eagerly.
+"Whatever you do, don't on any account worry that poor girl with this
+new complication. Anything on earth but that."
+
+"No," I agreed; "you're right there. Myra must be kept in the dark."
+
+"Yes," he replied, with a look of relief. "It might have a serious
+effect on her chances of recovery if she had this additional worry.
+And I don't think it would be advisable to tell the old man either. I
+think we had better keep it to ourselves absolutely. Tell no one,
+Ewart, except your friend when he comes."
+
+"Very well," I answered, for I was very anxious to spare both Myra and
+her father from the knowledge of any further trouble. "I'll tell
+Dennis when he comes, but otherwise it is our secret."
+
+"Good," said Garnesk. "Now put your coat on, old chap, and we'll
+stroll back to the house."
+
+I got up and buttoned my collar, retied my bow, and slipped into my
+jacket. I was rather uncomfortably damp, and I felt a bit shaky and
+queer, and decided that I could do with a complete rest from the
+mysteries of the green ray. But the subject remained uppermost in my
+mind, and my tired brain still strove to unravel the tangled threads
+of the puzzle.
+
+"By the way," I said, as we walked slowly up to the house, "you have
+not yet explained what there was in my remark about the sunlight that
+made you think of the yacht."
+
+"Well," he replied, "you see I had an idea that perhaps they might
+come here when the gorge, through which the river flows, was flooded
+with light, so that they could see if any strange effects were
+produced. But that suffocation was not brought about by any electrical
+experiment, and I am beginning to be afraid that, after all, we may be
+up against some strange natural phenomena, some terrible combination
+of the forces of Nature, which has not yet been observed, or at any
+rate recorded."
+
+"Why afraid?" I asked, for although I had been glad to believe that we
+were faced with a problem which would prove to have a human solution,
+the revulsion had come, and I should have welcomed the knowledge that
+some weird, freakish application of natural power might be held
+accountable.
+
+"Afraid?" queried Garnesk, with a note of surprise. "I am very often
+afraid of Nature. She is a devoted slave, but a cruel mistress. I
+don't think that I should ever be very much scared by a human being,
+even in his most fiendish aspect, but Nature--I tell you, Ewart, there
+are things in Nature that make me shudder!"
+
+"Yes," I agreed heavily, "you're right, of course. That's how I have
+felt for the past twenty-four hours. It was a tremendous relief to me
+to feel that we were men looking for men. But the last few minutes I
+have had an idea that it would be comforting to explain it all out of
+a text-book of physics. Still, you're right. It is better far to be
+men fighting men than to be puny molecules tossed in the maëlstrom of
+immutable power which created the world, and may one day destroy it."
+
+"I'm glad you agree," he said simply. "You see you could not possibly
+live for a second in electrically produced atmosphere which was
+so thick that you couldn't hear yourself speak. Death would be
+instantaneous. It couldn't have been our unknown professor's wireless
+experiments after all. Yet it seems impossible that a sudden new power
+should crop up suddenly at one spot like this. Imagine what would
+happen if this had occurred in a city, in a crowded street. Hundreds
+would have been stricken blind, then hundreds would have been
+suffocated. Vehicles would have run amok, and the result would have
+been an indescribable chaos of the maimed, mangled and distraught. A
+flash like this green ray (which blinded Miss McLeod and her dog,
+deluded the General, and nearly suffocated us) at the mouth of a
+harbour, say, the entrance to a great port--Liverpool, London, or
+Glasgow--would be responsible for untold loss of life. If this
+terrible phenomenon spread, Ewart, it would paralyse the industry of
+the world in twenty-four hours. If it spread still farther the face of
+the globe would become the playing-fields of Bedlam in a moment. Think
+of the result of this everywhere! Some suffocated, some blinded, and
+millions probably mad and sightless, stumbling over the bodies of the
+dead to cut each other's throats in the frenzy of sudden imbecility."
+
+"Don't, Garnesk," I begged. "It won't bear thinking about. We have
+enough troubles here to deal with without that!"
+
+"Yes," my companion admitted, "we need not add to them by any idle
+conjectures of still more hideous horrors to come. But it is an
+interesting, if terrible speculation. And it means one thing to us,
+Ewart, of the very greatest importance. We must solve the riddle
+somehow."
+
+"You mean," I cried, as I realised the tremendous import of his
+words--"you mean that the sanity of the universe may rest with us! You
+mean that if we can solve this riddle we, or others, may be able to
+devise some means of prevention, or at least protection? You mean that
+we are in duty bound to keep at this night and day until we find out
+what it is?"
+
+"That is just what I do mean," he replied seriously. "It is a solemn
+duty; who knows, it may be a holy trust. Ewart, we agree to get to the
+bottom of this? We have agreed once, but are we still prepared to go
+on with this now that we know we may be crushed in the machinery that
+controls the solar system and lights the very sun?"
+
+"I shall certainly go on," I replied eagerly. "But we can hardly
+expect you to run risks on our behalf."
+
+"It may be in the interests of civilisation," he answered, "and in
+that case it is our duty. Now look here, Ewart, this will have to be a
+secret. It is essential that we should not get ourselves laughed at
+because, for one thing, the scoffers may get into serious trouble if
+they start investigating our assertions in a spirit of levity. You
+and I must keep this to ourselves entirely. What about your friend?"
+
+"I can trust him," I replied simply.
+
+"Then tell him everything," Garnesk advised. "If you know you can rely
+upon him he may be of great assistance to us."
+
+"What about Hilderman?" I asked. "He knows a good deal already."
+
+"There is no need for him to know any more. He may be of some use to
+us. I had thought he might be of the greatest use, but he may be able
+to help us still. We should decrease, rather than augment, his
+usefulness by telling him these new complications."
+
+"How do you mean?" I asked.
+
+"Well, for instance, he might think we are mad, although he's a very
+shrewd fellow."
+
+"Yes," I agreed, "I think he's pretty cute. Funny that Americans so
+often are. Anyway, he's been cute enough to make sufficient to retire
+on at a fairly early age, and retire comfortably too."
+
+"H'm," was my companion's only comment.
+
+After dinner that evening we discussed all sorts of subjects, mainly
+the war, of course, and went to bed early.
+
+"Now, Ron," exclaimed Myra, as we said good-night, "if Mr. Garnesk is
+really going to leave us on Monday, you mustn't let him worry about
+things to-morrow. Do let him have one day's holiday while he is with
+us, anyway."
+
+"I will," I agreed. "We'll have a real holiday to-morrow. Suppose we
+all go up Loch Hourn in the motor-boat in the afternoon?"
+
+So it was arranged that we should have an afternoon on the sea and a
+morning's fishing on the loch. Garnesk fell in with the idea readily.
+
+"It will do you good," he declared. "You won't be feeling too frisky
+in the morning after your adventure this afternoon."
+
+As it turned out he was quite right, for I awoke in the morning with a
+slight headache and a tendency to ache all over. So we fished the loch
+in a very leisurely fashion for an hour or two, and after lunch the
+four of us went up to Kinlochbourn. We took a tea-basket with us, and
+very nearly succeeded in banishing the green ray altogether from our
+minds. I had taken my Kodak with me, and we ran in shore, and
+otherwise altered our course occasionally in order to enable me to
+record some choice peep of the magnificent scenery. When we got back
+to the lodge we were all feeling much the better for the outing. After
+dinner Myra, who had taken the greatest interest in the photographs,
+although, poor child, she could not see what I had taken, and would
+not be able to see the result either, was anxious to know how they had
+turned out.
+
+"I should love to know if the snapshots are good," she said,
+"particularly the one at Caolas Mor. Develop them in the morning,
+Ronnie, won't you? If you don't you'll probably take them away, and
+forget all about them."
+
+Garnesk looked at me. He was always on the _qui vive_ for any
+opportunity to give Myra a little pleasure. He felt very strongly that
+she must be kept from worrying at all costs.
+
+"Why not develop them now, Ewart?" he suggested.
+
+"Certainly," I said, "if everybody will excuse me."
+
+"Dad's in the library," Myra replied, "but everybody else will come
+with you if you ask us nicely. Besides, I shall have to tell you where
+everything is. There's plenty of room for us all."
+
+"Right you are," I agreed readily, and went out to get a small folding
+armchair from the verandah. We went up to the dark-room at the top of
+the house, and Myra sat in the corner, giving me instructions as to
+the position of the bottles, etc. I prepared the developer while
+Garnesk busied himself with the fixing acid.
+
+"Now we're ready," I announced, as I made sure that the light-tight
+door was closed, and lowered the ruby glass over the orange on Myra's
+imposing dark-room lamp; she believed in doing things comfortably; no
+messing about with an old-fashioned "hock-bottle" for her. I took the
+spool from my pocket and began to develop them _en bloc_.
+
+"How are they coming along?" Myra asked, leaning forward interestedly.
+
+"They're beginning to show up," I replied; "they look rather
+promising."
+
+"It's rather warm in here," said the girl presently; "do you think it
+would matter if I removed my shade, Mr. Garnesk?"
+
+"Not if you put it on again before we put the light up," the
+specialist answered. Myra took off the shade and the heavy bandage
+with a sigh of relief, and leaned her elbow on the table beside her.
+
+"There's a glass beaker just by your arm, dear," I said; "just a
+minute and I'll put it out of reach."
+
+"All right," said Garnesk, moving forward, "I'll move it; don't you
+worry."
+
+But before he could reach the table there was a crash. The beaker went
+smashing to the floor. I turned with a laugh, which died on my lips.
+Myra was standing up with her hand to her head.
+
+"What is it, darling?" I cried, dropping the length of film on the
+floor. Garnesk made a grab for the shade. Myra gave a short, shrill
+little laugh, which had a slightly ominous, hysterical note in it.
+
+"Don't be alarmed, dear," she said quietly, in a curiously tense
+voice, "_I can see!_"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+WHO IS HILDERMAN?
+
+
+I must admit that I was so delighted to find that Myra had recovered
+her sight that I very nearly made what might have been a very serious
+mistake. I gave a loud shout of triumph and made a dive for the light,
+intending to switch it on. This might, of course, have had a very bad
+effect upon my darling's eyes, but fortunately Garnesk darted across
+the room and knocked up my arm in the nick of time.
+
+"Not yet, Ewart, not yet," he warned me. "We must run no risks until
+we are quite sure."
+
+"But, Ronnie, I can see quite well," Myra declared delightedly. "I see
+everything just as easily as I usually can by the light of the
+dark-room lamp."
+
+"Still, we won't expose you to the glare of white light just at
+present, Miss McLeod," said Garnesk solemnly. "We must be very
+careful. Tell me, how did your sight return, gradually or suddenly?"
+
+"Suddenly, I think," the girl replied. "I took off the shade and laid
+it down, and then when I looked up I could distinctly see the lamp."
+
+"Immediately the shade was removed?"
+
+"No," she answered, "not just immediately. You see, I was looking at
+the floor, which is so dark, of course, that you couldn't see it in
+the ordinary way. Then as soon as I looked up I could see the lamp.
+For a moment I thought it was my imagination, but when I found I could
+see Ron stooping over the developing-dish I knew that I was all right
+again."
+
+"This is very extraordinary, you know," said Garnesk. "Can you count
+the bottles on the middle shelf?"
+
+"Oh, yes!" laughed Myra, "I can make them out distinctly. Of course, I
+know pretty well what they are, but in any case I could easily
+describe them to you if I'd never seen them before."
+
+"What have I got in my hand?" the specialist queried, holding his arm
+out.
+
+"A pair of nail-clippers," Myra declared emphatically, and Garnesk
+laughed.
+
+"Well," he said, "you can obviously see it pretty well; but, as a
+matter of fact, it's a cigar-cutter."
+
+"Oh! well, you see," the girl explained airily, "I always put
+necessity before luxury!"
+
+So then the oculist made her sit down again and questioned and
+cross-questioned her at considerable length.
+
+"I'm puzzled, but delighted," he admitted finally. "It's strange, but
+it is at the same time decidedly hopeful."
+
+"I suppose it means that she will always be able to see in a red light
+at any rate?" I suggested.
+
+"Probably it does," he agreed, "and, of course, her sight may be
+completely restored. There is also a middle course; she may be able to
+see perfectly after a course of treatment in red light. I will get her
+a pair of red glasses made at once. We can see how that goes. But I
+feel that it would be advisable to introduce her to daylight in
+gradual stages, in case of any risk."
+
+"Oh, if we could only find poor old Sholto!" Myra exclaimed eagerly.
+Garnesk turned to her with a look of frank admiration.
+
+"You're a lucky young dog, Ewart," he whispered to me, "by Jove you
+are!"
+
+So Myra graciously, but a little regretfully I think, placed herself
+in the hands of the young specialist and replaced her shade. Then we
+left the dark-room, allowing the films to develop out on the floor,
+and went downstairs. We took her out on to the verandah and removed
+the shade for a moment, but the chill air of the highland night made
+her eyes smart after their unaccustomed imprisonment, and we gave up
+the experiment for that night.
+
+As Garnesk and I bathed together in the morning we were both brighter
+and more cheerful than we had been since his arrival.
+
+"I shall catch the train from Mallaig," he declared. "Can you take me
+in and meet your friend without having long to wait?"
+
+"If you insist on going," I replied, "I can get you there in time to
+meet him and you will have an hour or more to wait for your train."
+
+"Oh, so much the better! We can tell him everything and give him all
+the news in the interval."
+
+"Are you still determined to go?" I asked.
+
+"Yes," he said, "I _must_ go. It will be necessary for me to make one
+or two inquiries and get a pair of glasses made for Miss McLeod."
+
+"I shall be very sorry to lose you, Garnesk," I said earnestly. "Don't
+you think you could write or wire for the glasses? You see, if we have
+come to the conclusion that this green ray is some chemical production
+of Nature unassisted there isn't the same reason for you to leave us."
+
+"No, that's true," he agreed, "but we were both a bit scared
+yesterday, old chap, and the more I think of this dog business the
+less I like it. It was mere conceit on my part that made me say it was
+bound to be some natural phenomenon merely because I couldn't
+understand how the effect could have been humanly produced."
+
+"Perhaps," I suggested, "our best course would be to keep an open mind
+about the whole thing."
+
+"Yes," he replied, "I'm with you entirely. And in that case my going
+away is not going to aggravate the effects of a natural phenomenon,
+while it may restrain the human agency by removing the necessity for
+further activity."
+
+"Well, that's sound enough," I acquiesced; "but I shall hear from you,
+I hope?"
+
+"Of course, my dear fellow," he laughed, "we're in this thing
+together. You'll hear from me as often as you want, and who knows what
+else besides. I have no intention of dropping this for a minute,
+Ewart. But I think I can do more if I am not on the spot. We're agreed
+that my presence here may be a source of danger to you all."
+
+"Yes," I said, "I think yours is the best plan. What do you propose to
+do?"
+
+"Well, to begin with, I shall devote an hour or two to knocking our
+panic theory on the head."
+
+"You mean the natural phenomenon idea?"
+
+"Precisely," said he. "I don't think that it will be able to exist
+very long in the light of physical knowledge--not that that is a very
+powerful light, but it should be strong enough for our purpose. As
+soon as I have convinced myself that our enemy is a mere human being I
+shall take such steps as I may think necessary at the time. Then, of
+course, I shall acquaint you with the steps that I have taken, and we
+shall work together and round up our man, and, figuratively speaking,
+make him swallow his hideous green ray."
+
+"What sort of steps do you mean?" I asked.
+
+"Well, that all depends," my friend answered, "on what sort of man we
+have to deal with. But it will certainly include providing ourselves
+with the necessary means of self-defence, and may run to calling in
+the assistance of the authorities."
+
+"I'm not sure that the presence of the police in a quiet spot like
+this might not have a disastrous effect on our plans," I pointed out.
+
+"I shouldn't worry about the police," he laughed. "I should make for
+the naval chaps. I'm rather pally with them just now; I'm booked up to
+do some work of various descriptions for the period of the war, and I
+think if I can give them the promise of a little fun and excitement
+they would be willing to help."
+
+"Which indeed they could," I agreed readily. "Any attempt our enemy
+might make to get away from us would probably mean a bolt for the open
+sea, and a few dozen dreadnoughts would be cheerful companionship."
+
+Garnesk laughed, and we strolled up to the house, putting the
+finishing touches to our toilet as we went. Shortly after breakfast we
+made ready for our trip to Mallaig. Myra was very anxious to come with
+us until I explained that we should have to wait there till we had met
+Dennis and seen the specialist off. She was naturally sensitive about
+appearing in public with the shade on, poor child, so she readily gave
+up the idea.
+
+"I'm very sorry you're going, Mr. Garnesk," said Myra, as she shook
+hands.
+
+"I shall see you again soon," he replied. "I have by no means finished
+with your case, and as soon as you report the effect of the glasses I
+shall send you'll see me come tripping in one afternoon, or else I
+shall ask you to come down to me."
+
+"It's very good of you to take so much trouble about it," said Myra
+gratefully.
+
+"Not at all," he responded lightly. "It is a pleasure, Miss McLeod, I
+assure you."
+
+The old general was still more effusive of his gratitude, and as he
+waved good-bye from the landing-stage his face was almost comically
+eloquent of regret.
+
+"By the way," said Garnesk as we passed Glasnabinnie, "don't tell
+Hilderman much about what has happened. We feel we can trust him, but
+you never know a man's propensity for talking until you know him very
+well."
+
+"Right," I agreed. "I'll take care of that. We can't afford to get
+this talked about. It would be very painful for Myra and her father if
+it became the chatter of the country-side."
+
+"Besides," Garnesk pointed out, "it will be much safer to be quiet
+about it. If we are dealing with men they will probably prove to be
+desperate men, and we don't want to run any risks that we can avoid."
+
+"No," said I, "this is going to be quite unpleasant enough without
+looking for trouble."
+
+So when we arrived in Mallaig and met Hilderman on the fish-table I
+was careful to remember my companion's advice.
+
+"Ah, Mr. Ewart!" the American exclaimed in surprise, "How are you? And
+you, Professor? I hope your visit has proved entirely satisfactory.
+How is Miss McLeod?"
+
+"Just the same, I am sorry to say," Garnesk replied glibly. "There
+is no sign at all of her sight returning. I can make nothing of it
+whatever."
+
+"Dear, dear, Professor!" Hilderman exclaimed, with a shake of the
+head. "That is very bad, very bad indeed. Haven't you even any idea
+as to how the poor young lady lost her sight?"
+
+"None whatever," said Garnesk, with a hopeless little shrug. "I can't
+imagine anything, and I'm not above admitting that I know nothing.
+There is no use my pretending I can do anything for poor Miss McLeod
+when I feel convinced that I can't."
+
+"So you've given it up altogether, Mr. Garnesk?" Hilderman asked, as
+we strolled to the station.
+
+"What else can I do?" the oculist replied. "I can't stop up here for
+ever, much as I should prefer to stay until I had done something for
+my patient."
+
+"You have my sympathy, Mr. Ewart," said Hilderman in a friendly voice.
+"It is a terrible blow for you all. I fervently hope that something
+may yet be done for the poor young lady."
+
+"I hope so too," I answered, with a heavy sigh, but the sigh was
+merely a convincing response to the lead Garnesk had given me, for, as
+a matter of fact, I was quite certain that we had found the basis of
+complete cure.
+
+"Yes," Hilderman muttered, as if thinking aloud, "it is a very
+terrible and strange affair altogether. Have you had any news about
+the dog?"
+
+"None whatever," I replied, this time with perfect truth.
+
+"Surely you must suspect somebody, though," the American urged. "It is
+a very sparsely populated neighbourhood, you know."
+
+"We can't actually suspect anybody, nevertheless," said I. "On the one
+hand, it may have been an ordinary, uninteresting thief who stole the
+dog with a view to selling him again. On the other hand----"
+
+"Well," said Hilderman with interest, as I paused, "on the other
+hand?"
+
+"It may have been someone who had other reasons for stealing him," I
+concluded.
+
+"I don't quite follow you."
+
+"Ewart means," said Garnesk, cutting in eagerly, evidently fearing
+that I was about to make some indiscreet disclosure of our suspicions,
+though I had not the slightest intention of doing so, "Ewart means
+that it may have been someone who regarded the dog as a personal
+enemy. Miss McLeod informs us that there was a man in the hills,
+ostensibly a crofter, who disliked Sholto, quite unreasonably. He
+drove the dog away from his croft and was very rude to Miss McLeod
+about it. She suspected an illicit still, and thought the fellow was
+afraid Sholto might nose out his secret and give the show away."
+
+"Ah!" said Hilderman. "An illicit still, eh! Where was this still, or,
+rather, where was the croft?"
+
+I remembered that Myra had told us it was somewhere up Suardalan way,
+above Tor Beag, and I was just about to explain, when I felt my
+friend's boot knock sharply against my ankle. Taking this as a hint
+and not an accident, I promptly lied.
+
+"It was miles away," I announced readily, "away up on The Saddle. Miss
+McLeod wanders pretty far afield with Sholto at times."
+
+"Indeed," said the American, "I should think that might be quite a
+likely explanation, and rather a suitable place for a still, too. I
+climbed The Saddle some months ago with an enthusiastic friend of
+mine. We went by water to Invershiel, and then drove up the Glen. I
+shouldn't like to walk from Invermalluch and back; there are several
+mountains in between, and surely there is no road."
+
+Evidently our shrewd companion suspected that I had either made a
+mistake or deliberately told him an untruth, but I was quite ready for
+him. I had no time to consider the ethics of the matter. I was out to
+obey what I took to be my instructions, and obey them I did.
+
+"Oh, there are quite a lot of ways of getting there," I replied
+airily; "but perhaps the easiest would be to take the motor-boat to
+Corran and walk up the Arnisdale, or follow the road to Corran and
+then up the river. Miss McLeod has her own ways of getting about this
+country, though, and she may even know some way of avoiding the
+difficulties of the Sgriol and the other intervening mountains."
+
+Hilderman looked at me in considerable surprise for a moment.
+
+"You seem to know the district pretty well yourself, Mr. Ewart," he
+remarked.
+
+"Well, I ought to," I explained; "I was born in Glenmore."
+
+"Oh, I didn't know that," he murmured; "that accounts for it, then."
+And at that moment we heard the train approaching, and we hurried into
+the station to meet our respective visitors.
+
+"Fact or fancy?" asked Garnesk in an undertone as we strolled down the
+platform, Hilderman having hurried on ahead.
+
+"Fancy," I replied. "I took it you wanted me to avoid giving him the
+precise details."
+
+"Yes, I did," he laughed. "But you certainly made them precise enough.
+It is better to be careful how you explain these things to strangers."
+
+"Why?" I asked. "If we suspected Hilderman I should be inclined to
+agree with you that we should feed him up with lies; and if you think
+it will help us at all to suspect him I'm on at once. But as we both
+feel that his disposition is friendly and that we have no cause to
+doubt him, what is your reason for putting him off the scent every
+time? I know you well enough by this time to feel sure that you
+haven't been making these cryptic remarks for the sake of hearing
+yourself speak."
+
+"Here's the train," he said. "I'll tell you later."
+
+I looked along the carriages for Dennis, but I had evidently missed
+him, for as I turned back along the platform I found him looking round
+for me, standing amid the _mêlée_ of tourists and fisherfolk, keepers
+and valets, sportsmen and dogs, which is typical of the West Highland
+terminus in early August, and which seemed little affected by the fact
+that a state of war existed between Great Britain and the only nation
+in the world which was prepared for hostilities.
+
+"Well, old man," I greeted him as we shook hands heartily. "You got my
+wire, of course. I hope you had a decent journey."
+
+"Rather, old chap, I should think I did!" he replied warmly. "Slept
+like a turnip through the beastly parts, and woke up for the bit from
+Dumbarton on. I also had the luck to remember what you said about the
+breakfast and took the precaution of wiring for it. Here I am, and as
+fit as a fiddle."
+
+"That's great!" I exclaimed cheerily, for Dennis's bright attitude had
+exactly the effect on me that it was intended to have--it made me feel
+about twenty years younger. "This is Mr. Garnesk, the specialist, who
+very kindly came from Glasgow to see Myra. Mr. Garnesk--Mr. Burnham."
+
+The two shook hands, and the oculist suggested lunch. We left the
+station to go up to the hotel, but we saw Hilderman and his newly
+arrived friend--the same man who had seen me taking Myra up to
+London--walking leisurely up the hill in front of us. Garnesk took my
+arm.
+
+"Steady, my boy, steady," he said quietly. "We don't want to be
+overheard giving the lie to your dainty conversation of a few minutes
+ago. Isn't there anywhere else we can lunch, because they are
+evidently on the same tack?"
+
+"Yes," I replied, turning back, "there's the Marine just behind you.
+That'll do us well. Then we can come out and talk freely where there's
+no chance of our being overheard."
+
+So we lunched at the Marine Hotel, after which we strolled round
+the harbour, along the most appalling "road" in the history of
+civilisation, popularly and well named "the Kyber." Safely out of
+earshot, I made a hurried mental _précis_ of the events of the past
+few days, and gave Dennis the resultant summary as tersely as I could.
+
+"I'm very glad you had Mr. Garnesk with you," said Dennis at last,
+with a glance of frank admiration at the young specialist.
+
+"Not so glad as I am," I replied fervently. "What I should have done
+without him heaven only knows. I can't even guess."
+
+"Oh, nonsense!" cried Garnesk, in modest protest. "I haven't been
+able to do anything. Our one advance was a piece of pure luck--the
+discovery that Miss McLeod could see by the light of a red lamp. We
+have decided to keep that quite to ourselves, Mr. Burnham."
+
+"Of course," agreed Dennis, so emphatically that I laughed.
+
+"Why so decided, Den?" I asked, for I felt that I should like to climb
+to the topmost pinnacle of the highest peak in all the world and shout
+the good news to the four corners of the earth.
+
+"I'm not a scientist, Ron," Dennis replied. "That may account for the
+heresy of my profound disbelief in science. I wouldn't cross the road
+to see a 'miracle.' The twentieth century is uncongenial to anything
+of that sort. Take it from me, old chap, there's a man at the back of
+this--not a nice man, I admit, but an ordinary human being to all
+outward appearances--and when we catch a glimpse of his outward
+appearances we shall know what to do."
+
+"Yes, _when_ we do," I sighed.
+
+"You mustn't let Ewart get depressed about things, Mr. Burnham. He
+very naturally looks at this business from a different standpoint.
+With him it is a tragic, mysterious horror, which threatens the
+well-being, if not the existence, of a life that is dearer to him than
+his own."
+
+"I'll look after him," said Dennis, with a grim determination which
+made even Garnesk laugh.
+
+"When you two precious people have finished nursing me," I said, "I
+hope you'll allow me to point out that that very reason gives me a
+prior claim to take any risks or run into any dangers that may crop up
+from now on. If there is any trouble brewing, particularly dangerous
+trouble, then it is my place to tackle it. I am deeply grateful to you
+fellows for all you have done and are doing and intend to do, but the
+nursing comes from the other side. I can't let you run risks in a
+cause which is more mine in the nature of things than yours."
+
+"I fancy," said Dennis, "that even your eloquent speeches will have
+very little effect when it comes to real trouble. If danger comes
+it'll come suddenly, and we shall be best helping our common cause by
+looking after ourselves."
+
+"Hear, hear," said Garnesk, and I could only mutter my thanks and my
+gratitude for the possession of two staunch friends.
+
+"To get back to business," I said presently, "why did you want me to
+bluff Hilderman like that?"
+
+"Because," said Garnesk slowly, "I'm not sure that Hilderman is the
+man to take into our confidence too completely. It's not that I don't
+trust the man, but he looks so alert and so cute, and has such a
+dreamy way of pretending he isn't listening to you when you know jolly
+well that he is, that I have a feeling we ought to be careful with
+him."
+
+"Very much what Dennis said about him the first time he saw him. But
+if you don't suspect him, and he is a very cute man, why not trust him
+and have the benefit of his intelligence?"
+
+"How would you answer that question yourself, Ewart?" the specialist
+asked quietly.
+
+"Oh," I laughed, "I should point out that his cuteness may be the very
+reason that we don't suspect him."
+
+"Precisely," Garnesk agreed; "and that is partly my answer as well."
+
+"And the other part?" put in Dennis quietly.
+
+"Well, it's a difficult thing to say, and it's all conjecture. But
+I have a feeling that Hilderman is not what he says he is. He has
+a knack of doing things, a way of going about here, that gives me
+the impression he is employing his intelligence, and a very fine
+intelligence it probably is, all the time. I don't think he is retired
+at all. There's a restless energy about the fellow that would turn
+into a sour discontent if his mind were not fully occupied with work
+which it is accustomed to, and probably enjoys doing."
+
+"Have you anything to suggest?" I asked.
+
+"I have an idea," he replied; "but I haven't mentioned it because it
+doesn't satisfy me at all. I have an idea that the man is some sort
+of detective hard at work all the time. But I can't imagine what sort
+of detective would take a house up here and keep himself as busy as
+Hilderman appears to be over some case in the neighbourhood. I can't
+imagine what sort of case it can be."
+
+"What about a secret German naval base in the Hebrides?" I suggested.
+"It's not by any means impossible or even unlikely that the Germans
+have utilised the lonely lochs and creeks to some sinister purpose.
+Many of the lochs are entirely hidden by surrounding mountains, which
+come right down to the edge of a narrow opening, and make the place
+almost unnoticeable unless you happen to be looking for it."
+
+"There's something in that, certainly," Garnesk agreed; "but we must
+remember he's been here since May. Surely our precious Government
+would have managed to find what they wanted, and clear it out by this
+time. Then again, did they suspect the base, or did they have a
+general idea that war was coming so far back as May?"
+
+"As to the war," Dennis put in, "we don't really know when the
+authorities had their first suspicions."
+
+"No," said I; "but I fancy it was not a very definite suspicion until
+after the Archduke was assassinated. But look here, Garnesk, just let
+us suppose Hilderman really is a Government detective in the guise of
+an American visitor. Wouldn't he be just about the man we want, or do
+you think it would make too much stir to take him into our
+confidence?"
+
+"Far too much," Garnesk replied emphatically. "It's not that he
+would talk; but if he has been here all this time his opponents have
+got wind of him long before this, and his arrival on the scene in
+connection with our case would give any suspicious character the tip
+to bolt. I should advise keeping in touch with Hilderman, learn as
+much as you can about him, and be ready to run to him for help if you
+come to the conclusion that he is the man to give it."
+
+We sat down among the heather at the foot of the Mallaig Vec road, and
+looked out over the harbour.
+
+"Don't turn your heads," said Dennis quietly, "but glance down at the
+pier."
+
+"Yes," said Garnesk in a moment, "he seems to be as interested in us
+as we are in him."
+
+Hilderman and his friend were standing on the end of the pier watching
+us through their field-glasses.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+THE RED-HAIRED MAN.
+
+
+"I'll send the glasses at once," said Garnesk, as the train steamed
+out of the station. Dennis and I stood on the platform and watched him
+out of sight.
+
+"He seems a good fellow," said Dennis.
+
+"Splendid!" I agreed readily. "He's exceeding clever and wide-awake,
+and very charming. What we should have done without him heaven only
+knows. I fancy his visit saved the entire household from a nervous
+collapse."
+
+"We've no time for collapses, nervous or otherwise," Dennis replied.
+"We shall want our wits about us, and we shall need all the vitality
+we can muster. But at the same time I don't think there is any cause
+for nerves. You're not the sort of man, Ron, to let your nerves get
+the better of you in an emergency, especially if we can prove that our
+enemy is a tangible quantity, and not a conglomeration of waves and
+vibrations."
+
+"Hilderman and his friend appear to be waiting for us," I interrupted.
+
+"You may as well introduce me," said Dennis. "I'd like to meet the
+man. Who is his friend, do you know?"
+
+"Haven't the remotest idea," I replied. "I have seen him once before,
+but that is all. I don't know who he is."
+
+"Is he staying with Hilderman, or does he live in the neighbourhood?"
+
+"That I couldn't tell you either," I said. "I'm sure he doesn't live
+anywhere near Invermalluch."
+
+As we strolled out of the station Hilderman and his companion were
+standing chatting by the gate which leads on to the pier. As we
+approached, Hilderman turned to me with a smile.
+
+"Ah, Mr. Ewart," he exclaimed, "your friend has left you, then. I hope
+you won't let his inability to help Miss McLeod depress you unduly.
+While there's life there's hope."
+
+"I shall not give up hope yet awhile, anyway," I answered heartily.
+
+"May I introduce my friend Mr. Fuller?" he asked presently, and I
+found myself shaking hands with the round-faced little man, who
+blinked at me pleasantly through his glasses. I returned the
+compliment by introducing Dennis.
+
+"On holiday, Mr. Burnham?" asked the American. Dennis was so prompt
+with his reply that I was convinced he had been thinking it out in the
+meanwhile.
+
+"Well, I hardly know that I should call it a holiday," he replied
+immediately. "I have just run up to say good-bye to Ewart before
+offering my services to my King and country. We had intended to join
+up together, but he has, as you know, been detained for the time
+being, so I am off by myself."
+
+"We are very old friends," I explained, "and Burnham very decently
+decided to come here to see me as I was unable to go south to see
+him."
+
+"Never mind, Mr. Ewart," said Hilderman. "I guess you'll be able to
+join him very soon. I wish you luck, Mr. Burnham. I suppose it won't
+be long before you leave."
+
+"He's talking of returning to-morrow," I cut in. "I wish you'd tell
+him it's ridiculous, Mr. Hilderman. Fancy coming all this way for
+twenty-four hours. He must have a look round, to say nothing of his
+stinginess in depriving me of his company so soon."
+
+"Well, I can quite understand Mr. Burnham's anxiety to join at the
+earliest possible moment," he answered. "But I've no doubt Lord
+Kitchener wouldn't miss him for a day. I think he might multiply his
+visit by two, and stop till Wednesday, at any rate. Ah, here's the
+_Fiona_!"
+
+I looked out to the mouth of the harbour, and saw the steam yacht,
+which was in the habit of calling at Glasnabinnie, gliding past the
+lighthouse rock. I was about to make some comment on the boat when
+Hilderman forestalled me.
+
+"How are you going back?" he asked.
+
+"In a motor-boat," I replied. "I am afraid Angus is getting weary of
+waiting already."
+
+"I'm sure Mr. Fuller would be delighted to have you fellows on board.
+Why not let your man take Mr. Burnham's luggage to Invermalluch, and
+come to Glasnabinnie on the _Fiona_? You can lunch with me, and when
+you tire of our company I will run you across in the _Baltimore_. Eh?
+What do you say?"
+
+"I shall be delighted, of course," his companion broke in.
+
+I hesitated for a moment, and glanced at Dennis. His face obviously
+said, "Accept," so I accepted.
+
+"Thank you," I said; "we shall be very pleased. It will be more jolly
+than going back by ourselves."
+
+"Good!" cried Hilderman, "and I can show you the view from my
+smoking-room. I hope it will make you green with envy."
+
+So I gave Angus his instructions, and the four of us waited at the
+fish-table steps for the dinghy to come ashore from the yacht. She was
+not a particularly beautiful boat, but she looked comfortable and
+strong, and her clumsy appearance was accentuated by the fact that her
+funnel was aft a commodious deck dining-saloon, on the top of which
+was a small wheel-house. Myra had been right, as it turned out; she
+was a converted drifter. The two men who came in to pick us up wore
+the usual blue guernsey, with _S.Y. Fiona_ worked in an arc of red
+wool across the chest. They were obviously good servants and useful
+hands, but there was none of that ridiculous imitation of naval
+custom and etiquette which delights the heart of the Cotton Exchange
+yacht-owner. We boarded the _Fiona_ with the feeling that we were going
+to have a pleasant and comfortable time, and not with the fear that
+our setting of a leather-soled shoe upon the hallowed decks was in
+itself an act of sacrilege. We were no sooner aboard than Fuller set
+himself to play the host with a charm which was exceedingly attentive
+and neither fussy nor patronising.
+
+"The trivial but necessary question of edible stores will detain us
+for a few moments," he said. "But we shall be more comfortable here
+than wandering about among the herrings." So we made ourselves
+comfortable in deck-chairs in the stern, while the steward went ashore
+and made the all-important purchases.
+
+"You cruise a good deal, I suppose?" was my first question.
+
+"Yes, a fair amount," our host replied. "I pretty well live on board,
+you know, although I have a small house further north, on Loch Duich,
+if you know where that is."
+
+"Mr. Ewart was born up here, and knows it backwards," Hilderman
+informed him. And we chatted about the district and the fishing and
+the views until the steward returned, and we got under weigh. I should
+have liked to have seen the accommodation below, but the journey was a
+short one, and I had no opportunity to make the suggestion. Dennis
+was sitting nearest the rail, and there was a small hank of rope at
+his feet.
+
+"I beg your pardon, Mr. Burnham," said Fuller suddenly. "I didn't
+notice that rope was in your way." And he learned over and tossed the
+rope away. As he did so some hard object fell with a clatter from the
+coil.
+
+"It's not interfering with me in the least," laughed Dennis, and
+looked down at a large, bone-handled clasp-knife which had dropped in
+front of him. He picked it up idly, and weighed it in his hand.
+
+"Useful sort of implement," he said.
+
+"Oh, these sailor-chaps like a big knife more than anything," said
+Hilderman; "and, of course, they need them strong. I daresay that has
+been used for anything, from primitive carpentry to cutting tobacco.
+The one knife always does for everything."
+
+We continued our conversation while Dennis idly examined the knife,
+opening it and studying the blade absently. Presently Fuller, noticing
+his absorption, began to chaff him about it.
+
+"Well," he laughed, "have you compiled a complete history of the knife
+and it's owner? If you're ready to sit an examination on the subject I
+will constitute myself examiner, then we'll find who the knife belongs
+to, and corroborate or contradict your conclusions."
+
+"It's a very ordinary knife to find on board a boat, I should think,"
+said Dennis.
+
+"Oh come, Mr. Burnham," Hilderman joined in, "you mustn't wriggle out
+of it. Surely you can answer Mr. Fuller's questions."
+
+"If Mr. Fuller will allow me to put one or two preliminary questions
+to him," Dennis replied, entering into the spirit of fun, "I am ready
+to go into the witness-box and swear quite a number of fanciful
+things."
+
+"Come now, Fuller," chaffed Hilderman. "You must give him a run for
+his money, you know. He is risking his reputation at a moment's
+notice. I think you ought to let him ask you three questions, at any
+rate."
+
+"Fire away, Mr. Burnham," said our host. "I'll give you a start of
+three questions, and then you must be prepared to answer every
+reasonable question I put to you, or be branded publicly as an
+unreliable witness and an incompetent detective."
+
+Dennis puffed at his pipe and smiled, and I was surprised to see that
+he really was bringing his mind to bear on the trivial problem with
+all the acuteness he had in him.
+
+"Well, in the first place," he asked, "do you stop in port very often
+overnight, or for any length of time during the day?"
+
+"I never stop in port longer than I can help," laughed Fuller, "or the
+owner of that knife would probably take the opportunity of buying a
+new one, and throwing this old thing away. All the same, I don't see
+how that is going to help you."
+
+"Ah," said Dennis, in bantering vein, "you mustn't expect me to give
+away my process, you know. The secret's been in the family for years."
+
+"What's your second question, Den?" I asked.
+
+"Is there a hotel within reasonable distance of your house on Loch
+Whatever-it-is, Mr. Fuller?"
+
+"Loch Duich?" our host replied. "There's one about six miles by road
+and eleven or twelve by the sea."
+
+"I don't think I need ask you the third question, then," said Dennis.
+"You can begin your examination now."
+
+"Now, Mr. Burnham," Fuller commenced, "you quite understand that
+anything you say will be taken down in writing, and may be used as
+evidence against you?"
+
+"I assure you I have a keen appreciation of the gravity of the
+situation," Dennis replied seriously.
+
+"Well," said Fuller, "I'll begin with an easy one--one that won't tax
+your powers of observation beyond endurance."
+
+"Yes," I urged, "let him down gently. He does his best."
+
+"What profession does the owner of that knife follow?"
+
+Hilderman and I laughed.
+
+"We may as well count that answer as read," he said.
+
+"There's a catch there, Dennis," I warned him. "The legal designation
+is 'mariner.'"
+
+"I don't think it is," said my friend.
+
+"We won't quarrel about terms," laughed our host graciously. "Sailor
+or seaman or deckhand will do just as well."
+
+"No," said Dennis, "it won't. The owner of this knife is not a sailor
+by profession."
+
+"But," Fuller protested, "it must belong to one of my crew, and it is
+obviously a seaman's knife."
+
+"In that case," Dennis answered, "I think you'll find that you have a
+man on board who is not a professional seaman in the ordinary use of
+the term. I'll tell you what I think of this knife, shall I?"
+
+"By all means," urged Hilderman and his friend together, and I began
+to take a keen interest in this curious discussion, for I could see
+that Dennis was no longer playing. He turned the knife over in his
+hand, and looked up at Fuller.
+
+"Mr. Fuller," he said quietly, "the owner of this knife is not a
+sailor by profession. He is probably a schoolmaster. I can't be sure
+of that, but I can say this definitely: he is a professional man of
+some sort, possibly an engineer, but, as I say, more probably a
+mathematical master. He is left-handed, has red hair, a wife, and at
+least one child."
+
+I shouted with laughter when I realised how thoroughly my friend had
+pulled my leg, but I broke off abruptly when Hilderman sat bolt
+upright, and his chair and Fuller's cigar fell unheeded on to the
+deck. But in a second they took their cue from me, and roared with
+laughter.
+
+"Oh, excellent, Mr. Burnham," said Hilderman between his guffaws. "But
+you forgot to mention that his sister married a butcher's assistant."
+
+"Ah, but I don't admit she did," Dennis protested.
+
+"I'm very much indebted to you for exposing this masquerader," said
+Fuller. "I shall have the matter inquired into. But seriously, Mr.
+Burnham, you made one extraordinary fluke in your deductions, which
+almost took my breath away. I have a man on board with red hair, and
+when the boat came into the harbour he was working about here. I saw
+him leave his work to come ashore for us. I shouldn't be at all
+surprised to find that the knife belonged to him."
+
+"Oh, well," Dennis laughed, "one shot right is not a bad average for a
+beginner, you know."
+
+"No," said Hilderman, puffing a cloud of smoke, and dreamily following
+its ascent with his eyes, "not bad at all. Not bad at all."
+
+And then, the joke of the clasp-knife being played out, we admired the
+scenery, and conversed of less speculative subjects till we arrived at
+Glasnabinnie.
+
+We were pulled ashore by the man with the red hair, and when our host
+confronted him with the knife he promptly claimed it.
+
+"I think you won, Mr. Burnham," laughed Fuller, and Dennis smiled
+in reply. We slid alongside the landing-stage and stepped out, and
+Dennis's schoolmaster was about to slip the painter through a ring
+and make the boat fast. But evidently the ring was broken. The man
+came ashore, and Hilderman began to lead us up the path. But Dennis
+deliberately turned and watched the sailor. Hilderman and his
+companion strolled ahead while I stood beside Dennis. The man with the
+red hair fished among a pile of wire rope, and picked out a small
+marline-spike. Then he lifted a large stone, held the marline-spike on
+the wooden planking of the landing-stage, and hammered it in with the
+stone. Then he threw the painter round it, and made the boat secure in
+that way.
+
+"Yes," murmured Dennis quietly, as we turned to join the others, "I
+think I won."
+
+For the man had held the stone in his left hand.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+A FURTHER MYSTERY.
+
+
+"Well," said Hilderman, as we caught them up, "what about lunch? After
+his journey I daresay Mr. Burnham has an appetite, not to mention his
+excursion into the realm of detective fiction."
+
+"We lunched at Mallaig," I explained, "with Mr. Garnesk before we saw
+him off."
+
+"Oh, did you?" he asked, with evident surprise. "I didn't see you at
+the hotel."
+
+"We went to the Marine," I replied, "to save ourselves a climb up the
+hill."
+
+"We had a snack at Mallaig too," the American continued, "intending to
+lunch here. Are you sure you couldn't manage something?"
+
+"It would have to be a very slight something," Dennis put in. "But I
+daresay we could manage that."
+
+"Good!" said Hilderman. "Come along, then, and let's see what we can
+do."
+
+We strolled into the drawing-room through the inevitable verandah,
+and though Hilderman was the tenant of the furnished house he had
+contrived to impart a suggestion of his own personality to the room.
+The furniture was arranged in a delightfully lazy manner that almost
+made you yawn. The walls were hung with photographic enlargements of
+some of the most beautiful spots in the neighbourhood. I remembered
+what Myra had told me as to his being an enthusiastic photographer, so
+I asked him about them.
+
+"Did you take these, Mr. Hilderman?"
+
+"Yes," he answered. "These are just a few of the best. I have many
+others which I should like you to see some time. I always leave the
+enlarging to keep me alive during the winter months. These are a few
+odd ones I enlarged for decorative purposes."
+
+"They are beautiful," I said enthusiastically, for they were real
+beauties, more like drawings in monochrome than photographs. "And
+you certainly seem to have got about the neighbourhood since your
+arrival."
+
+"Yes," he laughed, "I don't miss much when I get out with my camera.
+Most of these were taken during the first month of my stay here."
+
+"These snow scenes from the Cuchulins are simply gorgeous, and surely
+this is the Kingie Pool on the Garry?"
+
+"Right first time," he admitted, evidently pleased to see his work
+admired. I thought of Garnesk's suspicion that our American friend was
+engaged on detective work of some kind, and it struck me that with his
+camera and his obvious talent he had an excellent excuse for going
+almost anywhere, supposing he were called upon at any time to explain
+his presence in some outlandish spot.
+
+"You must have kept yourself exceedingly busy," I remarked in
+conclusion.
+
+After the meal we adjourned to the hut above the falls. Hilderman
+certainly had some right to be proud of his view. It was magnificent.
+We stood outside the door and gazed out to sea, north, south and west,
+for some minutes.
+
+"You have the same uninterrupted view from inside," said Hilderman, as
+we mounted the three steps to the door. He held the door open, and I
+stepped in first, followed by Dennis and Fuller. The window extended
+the whole length of the room, and folded inwards and upwards, in the
+same way as some greenhouse windows do. Suddenly I laughed aloud.
+
+"What's the joke?" asked Hilderman.
+
+"This," I said, pointing to a large carbon transparency of a mountain
+under snow, which hung in the window on the north side. "You've no
+idea how this has been annoying us over at Invermalluch."
+
+"How?" asked Dennis.
+
+"It swings about in the breeze," I replied, "and it reflects the light
+and catches everybody's eye. It's a very beautiful photograph, Mr.
+Hilderman, but, like many human beings, it's exceedingly unpopular
+owing to the position it holds."
+
+"A thousand apologies, Mr. Ewart," said the American. "It shall be
+removed at once."
+
+"Oh, not at all!" I protested. "Surely you are entitled to hang a
+positive of a photograph in your window without receiving a protest
+from neighbours who live nearly three miles away."
+
+"That's Invermalluch Lodge, then, across the water," Dennis asked.
+
+"Yes," I replied, and we forgot about the transparency, which remained
+in undisputed possession of a pitch to which it was certainly
+entitled. We sat and smoked, and looked out at the mountains of Skye
+and the wonderful panorama of sea and loch, with an occasional glance
+at the gurgling waterfall at our feet, and presently I picked up a
+copy of an illustrated paper which was lying at my hand. I turned the
+pages idly, and threw a cursory glance at the photographs of the
+week's brides, and the latest efforts of the theatrical press agents,
+and I noticed, without thinking anything of the fact, that one page
+had been roughly torn out. I was about to remark that probably the
+most interesting or amusing picture in the whole paper had been
+accidentally destroyed, when Fuller leaned across Dennis, and took the
+paper out of my hands.
+
+"Don't insult Mr. Hilderman's precious view by reading the paper in
+his smoking-room, Mr Ewart," he said, with a loud laugh. "As a
+Highlander you should have more tact than that."
+
+Hilderman turned round, and looked from one to other of us.
+
+"What paper is he reading? I didn't know there was one here."
+
+I explained what paper it was, adding, "I quite admit that it was a
+waste of time when I ought to be admiring your unrivalled view, Mr.
+Hilderman. I offer you my sincere apologies."
+
+Hilderman threw a quick glance at Mr. Fuller.
+
+"Better give it him back, Fuller," he said. "There is nothing more
+annoying than to have a paper snatched away from you when you're
+half-way through it."
+
+Shortly after that Fuller declared that he must be leaving, and asked
+Hilderman rather pointedly whether he felt like a trip to Loch Duich.
+I determined to step in with an idea of my own.
+
+"I was going to make a suggestion myself, Mr. Hilderman," I began,
+"but it doesn't matter if you are engaged."
+
+"Well, I don't know that I'm particularly keen to come with you this
+afternoon, Fuller," he remarked. "What was your suggestion, Mr.
+Ewart?"
+
+"I was wondering whether you would come over to Invermalluch with
+Burnham and me and--er--have a look round with us?"
+
+"Well, if Fuller doesn't think it exceedingly rude of me, I should
+like to," the American replied, "especially as Mr. Burnham will be
+leaving you to-morrow, or the day after at latest."
+
+"Incidentally, I don't know how we shall get back without you," I
+pointed out. "You see, we sent the motor-boat on."
+
+"By Jove, so you did!" Hilderman exclaimed. "Well, that settles it,
+Fuller."
+
+"I could take them on the _Fiona_ and put them ashore," his companion
+persisted. Hilderman gave Fuller a look which seemed to clinch the
+matter, however, for the little man beamed at me through his
+spectacles, and explained that if he took us in his yacht it would be
+killing two birds with one stone.
+
+"Still, of course, my dear fellow," he concluded, "you must please
+yourselves entirely."
+
+So we saw him safely on board the _Fiona_, and then started for
+Invermalluch in Hilderman's magnificent Wolseley launch.
+
+"Fuller knows me," he explained, by way of apology. "I go up with him
+sometimes as often as three times a week, but I gathered that you
+asked me with a view to discussing the mystery of the green flash, or
+whatever you call it."
+
+"You're quite right; I did," I replied. "I simply want you to come and
+have a look at the river, and see what you can make of it."
+
+"Anything I can do, you know, Mr. Ewart," he assured me, "I shall be
+delighted to do. If you think it will be of any assistance to you if I
+explore the river with you--well, I'm ready now."
+
+From that we proceeded to give him, at his request, minute details of
+Garnesk's conclusions on the matter, and I am afraid I departed from
+the truth with a ready abandon and a certain relish of which I ought
+to have been most heartily ashamed.
+
+When we stepped ashore at Invermalluch Hilderman looked back across
+the water.
+
+"If I'd waited for Fuller," he laughed, "I should have been stuck
+there yet. He's let the water go off the boil or something."
+
+We went up to the house and had tea on the verandah, for the General
+had taken Myra up Loch Hourn in the motor-boat. After tea we got to
+business.
+
+"Now that I've had a very refreshing cup of tea," the American
+remarked, "I feel rather like the mouse who said '_Now_ bring out your
+cat' when he had consumed half a teaspoonful of beer! Now show me the
+river."
+
+"I don't want to sound at all panicky," I said, "but I think I ought
+to warn you that our experiences at the particular spot we are going
+to have--well, shall we say they have provided a striking contrast
+from the routine of our daily life?"
+
+"I'm not at all afraid of the river, Mr. Ewart," he replied lightly.
+"I should be the last person to doubt the statements of yourself and
+Miss McLeod and the General, but I am inclined to think the river has
+no active part in the proceedings."
+
+"You hold the view that it was the merest coincidence that Miss McLeod
+and the General both had terrible and strange experiences at the same
+spot?" asked Dennis.
+
+"It seems to be the only sensible view to hold," Hilderman declared
+emphatically. "I must say I think Miss McLeod's blindness might have
+happened in her own room or anywhere else, and the General's strange
+experience seems to me to be the delusion of overwrought nerves. I
+confess there is only one thing I don't understand, and that is the
+disappearance of the dog. That's got me beaten, unless it was that
+crofter."
+
+"We intend to go to the Saddle to-morrow and make a few
+investigations. I was going by myself," I added cautiously, "but I
+think I can persuade Burnham to stay and go with me."
+
+"I certainly should stay for that, Mr. Burnham," Hilderman advised.
+"One more day can't make much difference."
+
+"I'll think it over," said Dennis, careful not to commit himself
+rashly.
+
+We came to the Dead Man's Pool, and crossed over the river, and began
+to walk up the other side.
+
+"This is about the right time for a manifestation of the mystery," I
+remarked lightly, though I was far from laughing about the whole
+thing.
+
+"Well," said Hilderman, "if we are to see the green flash in operation
+I hope it will be in a gentle mood, and not pull our teeth out one by
+one or anything of that sort." Evidently he had little sympathy with
+our fear of the green ray and the awe with which we approached the
+neighbourhood of the river.
+
+"Are we going to the right place?" Dennis asked. "I mean the identical
+spot?"
+
+"That lozenge-shaped thing up there is the Chemist's Rock," I replied,
+"and the other important place is Dead Man's Pool, which we have just
+left."
+
+"Miss McLeod went blind on the Chemist's Rock, didn't she?" Dennis
+inquired.
+
+"Yes," I replied, with a shudder. "She was fishing from it."
+
+"Then suppose we go back to the pool," he suggested. We agreed readily
+enough, for I had no desire to hang about the fateful rock, and
+Hilderman for his part seemed to have no faith in the idea at all. I
+fancy he thought it would make no difference to us in what part of the
+river we might be, only provided we didn't fall in. So Dennis led the
+way back, and he was the first to pick his way to the middle of the
+stream. Hilderman and I were some distance behind. Suddenly we stopped
+stock-still, and looked at him. He had begun to cough and splutter,
+and he seemed rooted to the small stone he was standing on in the
+middle of the stream. In a flash I understood, and with a cry I
+bounded after him, Hilderman following at my heels.
+
+"It's all right, Ewart," cried Hilderman behind me. "He's only choked,
+or something of that sort. He'll be all right in a minute."
+
+Dennis had crossed to the centre of the stream by a way of his own,
+and we ran down to the stepping-stones by which we had come, in order
+to save the time which we should have been compelled to waste in
+feeling for a foothold as we went. Every second was of importance, and
+I fully expected to see Dennis topple unconscious into the pool below
+before I should be able to save him. I knew what it was exactly; he
+was going through my own horrible experience of "drowning on dry
+land," to quote Garnesk's vigorous phrase. Imagine my astonishment,
+therefore, when I reached Dennis's side with only a slight difficulty
+in breathing. There was no sign, or at least very little, of the air
+which was "heavier than water." Hilderman plunged along behind me,
+and we reached the stone on which my friend was standing almost
+simultaneously. Dennis held an arm pointing up the river, his face
+transfixed with an expression of horrified amazement. Suddenly
+Hilderman gave a hoarse, shrill shout, breaking almost into a scream.
+
+"Shut your eyes!" he yelled. "Shut your eyes! Oh, for heaven's sake,
+shut your eyes!"
+
+But I never thought of following his advice. Dennis's immovable arm,
+pointing like an inanimate signpost up the river, fascinated me.
+Slowly I raised my eyes in that direction. Then I stepped back with a
+startled cry, lost my footing, slipped, and fell on my face among the
+rocks.
+
+_The river had disappeared!_
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+CONCERNS AN ILLUSTRATED PAPER.
+
+
+The river had disappeared!
+
+In front of us was a great green wall of solid rock, which seemed to
+tower into the sky above us, and to stretch away for miles to right
+and left. The curious part about it was that the rock was undoubtedly
+solid. The shrubs that grew upon it, the great crevices and clefts,
+were all real. I knew--though I had a hard struggle to make myself
+believe--that it was all a marvellous and indescribable delusion, for
+there could be no cliff where only a few seconds before there had been
+a mighty, rushing torrent.
+
+And yet I could have planted finger and foot on the ledges of that
+solid precipice and climbed to the invisible summit. Hilderman was
+muttering to himself beneath his breath, but I was too dazed, my brain
+was too numbed to make any sense out of the confused mumble of words
+which came from him. Dennis held my arm in a vice-like grip that
+stopped the circulation, and almost made me cry out with the pain.
+
+Hilderman staggered, his arm over his eyes, across the stepping-stones
+to the side of the stream. I found my voice at last.
+
+"Dennis!" I shouted at the top of my voice, though why I should have
+shouted I can never explain, for my friend was standing just beside
+me. "Dennis, come away, man. Get out of this!"
+
+I exerted my strength to the uttermost, but Dennis was immovable,
+rooted to the spot by the strange, snake-like fascination of the
+nightmare. Then, as suddenly as it had arisen, the rock disappeared
+again, and there before our startled gaze was a peacefully flowing
+river. Dennis turned to me with a face as white as a sheet.
+
+"The place is haunted," he said, with a somewhat hysterical laugh.
+
+"Let's get away from it and sit down, and think it over," I urged,
+pulling him away. We made for the side of the river and sat down, at
+a very safe distance from the bank. I rolled up my sleeve, and had a
+look at my arm.
+
+"Great Scott!" Dennis exclaimed, as I dangled the pinched and purple
+limb painfully. "What on earth did that?"
+
+"I'm afraid it was your own delicate touch and dainty caress that did
+it, old man. You seized hold of me as if you hadn't seen me for years,
+and I owed you a thousand pounds."
+
+"Ron, my dear fellow," he said penitently, "I'm most awfully sorry.
+Why didn't you shout?"
+
+I burst out laughing.
+
+"I entered a protest in vigorous terms, but you were otherwise engaged
+at the moment, and, anyway, don't look so scared about it, old man;
+it'll be quite all right in a minute."
+
+Poor Dennis was quite upset at the evidence I bore of his absorption
+in the miracle, and we postponed our discussion while he massaged the
+injured arm in order to restore the flow of blood.
+
+"Where's Hilderman?" I asked presently, and though we looked
+everywhere for the American he was nowhere to be seen.
+
+"He didn't look the sort to funk like that," said Dennis thoughtfully.
+
+"I should have been prepared to bet he was quite brave," I concurred.
+"Well, anyway," I added, "the main point is, what do you think of our
+entertainment? You've come a long way for it, but I hope you are not
+disappointed now you've seen it. It's original, isn't it?"
+
+"By heaven, Ron!" he cried, "you're right. It is original. It is even
+a more unholy, indescribable mystery than I expected, and I never
+accused you of exaggerating it, even in my own mind."
+
+"I'm glad that both you and Hilderman have had ocular demonstration
+of it," I remarked. "It is so much more convincing, and will help
+you to go into the matter without any feeling that we are out on a
+hare-brained shadow-chase."
+
+"We're certainly not that, anyhow," Dennis agreed emphatically. "It is
+a real mystery, Ronald, my boy. A real danger, as well, I'm afraid.
+But we'll stick at it till the end."
+
+"Thanks, old fellow," I said simply, and then I added, "I wonder what
+can have become of Hilderman?"
+
+"Gad!" cried Dennis, in sudden alarm. "He can't have fallen into the
+river by any chance?"
+
+We jumped to our feet and looked about us.
+
+"No," I said presently, "he hasn't fallen into the river." And I
+pointed a finger out to sea. The _Baltimore II._, churning a frantic
+way across to Glasnabinnie, seemed to divide the intervening water in
+one great white slash.
+
+"I wonder," said Dennis quietly, "_is_ that funk, or isn't it?"
+
+We watched the diminishing craft for a minute or two in silence, and
+finally decided to keep an open mind on the subject until we might
+have an opportunity to see Hilderman and hear his own explanation.
+
+"Talking about explanations, what about the left-handed schoolmaster
+with the red-headed wife, or whatever it was?" I asked.
+
+"That was a bit of luck," said Dennis modestly, "and I will admit, if
+you like, that we owe that to Garnesk."
+
+"Garnesk wasn't there," I protested.
+
+"No," my friend admitted, "he wasn't there at the time, but he put
+me on the look-out for a left-handed sailor. I was very much
+impressed with his deductions about the man who stole Miss McLeod's
+dog, and I determined to be on the look-out for a left-handed man. I
+also admit that I carefully watched everyone we met, especially the
+fishermen at Mallaig, to see if I could detect the sort of man I wanted.
+I was rewarded when we were pulled out to the _Fiona_ by those
+two men of Fuller's. One of them was red-headed, you remember? Well,
+that man was left-handed. It was very easy to observe that by the way
+he held his oar and generally handled things. Of course I was very
+bucked about it, so I paid very close attention to him. He wore a
+wedding-ring--ergo, he was married. It is not conclusive, of course,
+but a fairly safe guess when you're playing at toy detectives. So when
+I found the knife I looked for some sign that it belonged to him, and
+found it. It was all quite simple."
+
+"I daresay it will be when you explain it, but you haven't in the
+least explained it yet," I pointed out. "How about the schoolmaster
+and all that, and what made you think the knife belonged to him."
+
+"Simply because he was very probably--working on the law of
+averages--the only left-handed man among the crew, and that knife
+belonged to a left-handed man."
+
+"But my dear old fellow," I cried, "you don't seriously mean to tell
+me that you can say whether a man is left-handed or not by looking at
+marks on the handle of his knife?"
+
+"Not on the handle," Dennis explained; "on the blade. Have you got a
+knife on you?"
+
+I produced my pen-knife.
+
+"I'll trust you with it," I declared confidently. "I've never held any
+secrets from you, Den."
+
+Dennis opened the knife and laid it in the palm of his hand. I stood
+still and watched him.
+
+"You've sharpened pencils with this knife and the pencils have left
+their mark. If you hold the knife as you would when sharpening a
+pencil and look down on the blade there are no pencil marks visible.
+Now turn the knife over and you will find the marks on the other side
+of the blade."
+
+"Half a minute," I said eagerly, "let's have a look. The knife is in
+position for sharpening a pencil and the back of the knife is pointing
+to my chest. The marks are underneath." I took a pencil from my pocket
+and tried it. "Yes, I've got you, Dennis. It's quite clear. If I held
+the knife with the point to my right instead of to my left, as I
+should do in sharpening with my left hand, the marks appear on the
+other side of the blade. It is not quite conclusive, Den, but it's
+jolly cute."
+
+"Not when you're looking for it," he said. "I was struck by the fact
+that the knife which, by its size and weight, was a seaman's handy
+tool, had also been used for the repeated sharpening of a blue pencil.
+When I saw those indications I went through the motion and came to the
+conclusion that the marks were on the wrong side. Then I tried with my
+left hand and accounted for it. The blue pencil made me suspicious. I
+have no knowledge of a yacht-hand's duties, but surely sharpening blue
+pencils is not one of them. Then the knife had also been carried in
+the same pocket as a piece of white chalk. The only sort of person I
+could think of who would carry a piece of chalk loose in his pocket
+and use a blue pencil continuously was a schoolmaster. So I stated
+definitely--there's nothing like bluff--that the knife belonged to the
+left-handed man, who quite obviously had red hair, who appeared to
+wear the insignia of the married state, and who--again according to
+the law of averages--had at least one child. I naturally slumped the
+schoolmaster idea in with it, and there you have the whole thing in a
+nutshell. But it was Garnesk who set me looking for left-handed clues,
+and if I hadn't been looking for it, it would never have entered my
+head."
+
+"But look here," I suggested, "some people sharpen pencils by pointing
+the pencil to them. Wouldn't that produce the same effect?"
+
+"Yes," he admitted, "I thought of that. But the marks would have been
+very much fainter, because there would have been much less pressure. I
+put that idea aside."
+
+"Good!" I exclaimed. "I should much prefer to swallow your theory
+whole, Dennis, but it struck me that might be a possible source of
+error, which, of course, might have led us on to a false trail. And,
+I say, those questions you asked about the time he stayed in port and
+the hotel. Were those all bluff? Or had you some sort of idea at the
+back of them?"
+
+"I had a very definite idea at the back of them," Dennis replied. "I
+thought perhaps the white chalk which was deposited in the blade-pocket,
+and was even noticeable on the handle, might be due to billiard chalk.
+But, of course, I didn't mention billiards, because it would have given
+my line of reasoning away. I thought it was better to spring it on them
+with a bump."
+
+"Which you certainly did," I laughed. "As a matter of fact, I thought
+you were simply having a game with us all. But now that you've told me
+the details, Den, do you remember what happened when you did spring it
+on them?"
+
+"Well, of course I do," he replied. "But even so, I hardly know what
+to make of it. I should like to feel confidently that Fuller is the
+man we are after. But we must remember that both he and Hilderman
+might very easily have thought I really had discovered something from
+the knife and been exceedingly surprised without having any guilty
+connection with the discovery."
+
+"H'm," I muttered, "I prefer to suspect Fuller."
+
+"Oh, I do too," Dennis agreed. "It is safer to suspect everybody in a
+case like this. But why are you so emphatic?"
+
+"Well," I explained, "we have a few little things to go on. Myra
+diagnosed that Sholto was taken on a yacht by Garnesk's left-handed
+man in sea-boots. Then you produce a left-handed member of a yacht's
+crew out of an old pocket-knife, and Fuller jumps out of his skin when
+you mention it. That seems to be something to go on, and then there
+was that incident in the smoking-room."
+
+"When you were reading the paper?" he asked. "I couldn't make that
+out. Did you notice anything suspicious about it?"
+
+"Of course I was in a suspicious mood," I admitted, "but it struck me
+as a singularly rude thing to do to snatch the paper out of my hand
+like that. His remark about Hilderman's precious view was very weak.
+I think there was something behind it."
+
+"What?" asked Dennis.
+
+"It may have been that there was a letter, or something in the way of
+a paper, which he didn't want me to see laid inside the paper; but
+there was another curious point about it. There was a page torn out. I
+had just noticed this and was on the point of making some silly remark
+about it when Fuller leaned right across you and took the thing from
+me, as you saw."
+
+"If the page he didn't want you to see was torn out, there was no
+chance of your seeing it," Dennis argued, logically enough.
+
+"No," I agreed, "but after your exhibition, if he had anything to
+conceal he may have been afraid of my even seeing that the page was
+torn out."
+
+"What do you imagine the missing page can possibly have contained?"
+
+"I don't know," I answered, and thought hard for a minute. "By Jove,
+Den!" I cried suddenly, "I believe I've got it. This takes us back to
+Garnesk's idea of a wireless invention causing all the trouble. We
+think we have reason to believe that Fuller may have stolen the dog.
+We also think we have reason to believe that one of his yacht-hands is
+what you called 'a mathematical master.' Now, suppose the paper had
+got hold of this and printed an illustration of the mysterious
+invention or perhaps a photograph of the mysterious inventor?"
+
+"And the inventor, knowing that we should accuse him of blinding Miss
+McLeod and making off with her dog, the moment we could identify him,
+tears out the offending illustration in case either we or anyone else
+in the neighbourhood should see it? He admitted, by the way, that he
+never went into port if he could help it."
+
+"Well, anyway," I said, "we'll have a look for the paper and find the
+missing page."
+
+"You noticed the date?" Dennis asked, anxiously.
+
+"Oh! it was this week's issue," I replied.
+
+"Do they take it at the house?" he inquired, again with a note of
+anxiety.
+
+"Not that I know of, but we'll rake one up somewhere, don't you fret.
+And, I say, this is a fine way to welcome a visitor; you haven't even
+said how-do to your host and hostess. I'm most awfully sorry."
+
+"Don't be an ass, Ronnie," said Dennis, cheerfully. "With the utmost
+respect, as you barrister chaps would say, I hadn't noticed your
+departure from the requirements of conventional hospitality. I
+wouldn't have missed this for all the world and a bit of Bond Street."
+
+So then we hurried to the house with a nervous energy, which spoke
+eloquently to our state of suppressed excitement.
+
+"All the same," Den muttered dolefully, as we hurried down the stable
+path, "it's going to be what the Americans would call 'some' wireless
+invention that can plant a grown-up mountain in the middle of an
+innocent river in the twinkling of an eyelash."
+
+"It is, indeed, old fellow," I agreed, "but don't let us worry about
+that. We'll get in and see Myra and the General, and then have a look
+round for the _Pictures_--the paper you were looking at."
+
+We found Myra sitting on the verandah and wondering what on earth had
+kept us, and if we had changed our minds and gone straight back south
+with Garnesk.
+
+"I'm most awfully sorry, darling," I apologised. "It's all my fault,
+of course. We went to Glasnabinnie, and since then I've been showing
+Dennis the river and generally forgetting my duties as deputy host."
+
+"What did you go to the river for?" Myra asked, suspiciously.
+
+"Oh! just to have a look round, you know, dear. It's a very nice
+river," I replied, airily.
+
+"Ronnie, dear, please," she said gently, laying her hand on my arm and
+turning her veiled and shaded face to mine, "please don't joke about
+it. I can't bear to think of you running risks there."
+
+I looked at my beautiful, blind darling, and a pang shot through me.
+
+"God knows I'm not joking about it, dearest," I said sadly.
+
+"I know you weren't really, Ronnie. But, please, oh! please, keep away
+from the river."
+
+"Very well, dear," I promised, "I will, unless an urgent duty takes me
+there. We must solve this mystery somehow, and it may mean my going to
+the river. But I promise not to run any unnecessary risks."
+
+"I'll keep an eye on him and see that he takes care of himself, Miss
+McLeod," said Dennis, coming to the rescue.
+
+"Thank you, Mr. Burnham," the girl replied, "but you know it applies
+to you as well. You must look after yourself also."
+
+"By the way, dear," I asked, changing the subject, "have you a copy of
+this week's _Pictures_?"
+
+"I'm afraid not," she answered. "Must it be the _Pictures_? I've just
+been looking at another illustrated paper."
+
+"Looking at what?" I cried, jumping to my feet. "Darling, who's
+talking about running risks?"
+
+"Oh, it's all right, dear," she assured me. "I got Mary to bring my
+dark-room lamp down to the den and just glanced at the pictures by the
+red light. But I won't do it again, if it alarms you, dear. All the
+same, I'm quite sure I could see by daylight."
+
+"You promised Garnesk you wouldn't till you heard from him, darling,"
+I urged. "It might be very dangerous, so please don't for my sake."
+
+"Very well, then," Myra sighed, "I'll try to be good. But I hope he'll
+write soon."
+
+"Where do you think we could get a copy of the paper?" I asked
+shortly.
+
+"If it's frightfully important, dear, you might get one in Glenelg,
+and, failing that, Doctor Whitehouse would lend you his. I know he
+takes it in. Why are you so keen about it?"
+
+"We'll go into the den and tell you everything in a minute or two,
+dear," I promised. "Is there any objection to my sending Angus in to
+the doctor?"
+
+"None whatever," Myra declared, "he can go now if you like."
+
+So after I had despatched Angus into the village with strict
+instructions not to come back without a copy of the paper if he valued
+his life, we all adjourned to Myra's den, and my friend and I told her
+in detail everything that had happened. About an hour and a half later
+Angus returned with the paper. I took it from him with a hurried word
+of thanks and nervously turned over the pages.
+
+"Ah! here's a page I didn't see," I exclaimed excitedly, but the only
+thing on the whole page was a photograph of a new dancer appearing in
+London. Without waiting for me to do so, Dennis leaned over me and
+turned the page over with a quick jerk of the wrist.
+
+"Phew!" I exclaimed involuntarily, and Dennis gave a long, low
+whistle.
+
+"Oh! what is it? Tell me!" pleaded Myra, anxiously.
+
+"It's a photograph of our friend Fuller," I replied slowly, in a voice
+that shook with excitement. "And he's wearing court dress, and
+underneath the photograph are the words 'Baron Hugo von Guernstein,
+Secretary of the Military Intelligence Department of the Imperial
+German General Staff.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+DISCLOSES CERTAIN FACTS.
+
+
+"There's no doubt about it," I remarked as soon as we had partially
+recovered from our surprise. "That's Fuller right enough."
+
+"Oh! there's no doubt it's our man," said Dennis emphatically. "Even
+if we had not the evidence of the torn page to corroborate it, the
+likeness is perfect."
+
+"Yes," I agreed, "but what do you think his game can be? I'm coming
+round to Garnesk's wireless theory."
+
+"Whatever it is, we've stumbled on something of real importance this
+time. We must find out what it is and show it up at once."
+
+"I hope you'll take care," said Myra anxiously. "I shouldn't mind so
+much if I could be with you to help, but it's dreadful to sit here and
+know you are in danger and not be able to do anything at all."
+
+"I'm very glad you can't, darling," I said heartily, as I threw my arm
+round her shoulders. "I don't want you to come rushing into these
+dangers, whatever they may be. In a way I am glad you are not able to
+join us, because I know how difficult it would be to stop you if you
+were."
+
+"I suppose this is all one affair," she said doubtfully. "You don't
+think this is something quite different from the green ray? It might
+be two quite separate things, you know."
+
+"I don't think we are likely to meet with two such interesting
+problems in such a remote locality unless they are connected with each
+other, Miss McLeod, and especially as everything else apart from the
+photograph of Baron von Guernstein points to Fuller as the culprit. I
+think we can take it that in solving one mystery we provide the
+solution to the other."
+
+"I quite agree with you, Dennis," I said, "but what I am worrying
+about now is, what we are going to do."
+
+"The first thing you must do is to dress for dinner, and not let
+anyone imagine there is anything untoward about," Myra advised. "And
+please don't tell father you have been lunching with one of the
+Kaiser's principal spies, if that's what the Baron's title really
+means. I would much rather you said nothing to him at all about it for
+the present, and in any case you must have something definite in mind
+as to your plans before you put the matter to him. If you tell him you
+don't know what to do about it he will be in a dreadful state. He is
+very far from well, and all this business has told on him dreadfully."
+
+"That is very excellent advice, Miss McLeod," Dennis agreed warmly.
+"Ronald, we'll go and disguise ourselves as ordinary, undisturbed
+human beings and hide our fears and doubts behind the breastplate of
+a starched shirt. Come along."
+
+So Dennis dragged me away, and then, realising his indiscretion,
+allowed me to return to my _fiancée_ "just for two minutes, old
+fellow."
+
+Dinner was a curious meal, though not quite so strange as the meal the
+General and I had together the night, less than a week before, that
+Myra lost her sight.
+
+I hope I shall never live through a week like that again. Even now, as
+I look back, I cannot believe that it all happened in seven days. It
+still seems to have been something like seven months at the very
+least.
+
+We had one thing in our favour as we sat down to the table; we all had
+a common object in view. We were each of us determined to forget the
+green ray for a moment. Fortunately the old man took an immediate
+fancy to Dennis and that brightened me considerably. There are few
+things so pleasant as to see those whose opinion you value getting on
+with your friends. Only once, and that after Mary McNiven had come to
+take poor Myra away, did the subject of the green ray crop up.
+
+"Mr. Burnham knows about it all, I suppose?" the General asked.
+
+"I've told him everything, and Garnesk and I went over the whole thing
+with him before the train went."
+
+"Good!" said the old man emphatically. "Excellent fellow
+Garnesk--excellent; in fact, I don't know when I've met such a
+thundering good chap. No new developments, I suppose?"
+
+I hesitated. I could not have brought myself to lie to him, and in
+view of the startling complications with which we had so recently been
+confronted, I was at a loss for an answer. Dennis came to my rescue
+just in time.
+
+"I think Ron's difficulty is in defining the word 'developments,'
+General," said he. "If we said there were developments it would
+naturally convey the impression that we had something definite to
+report. I think perhaps the best way to put it would be that we
+believe we are getting on the right scent, by the simple process of
+putting two and two together and making them four. We hope to have
+something very decided to tell you in a day or two."
+
+"I shall be glad to hear something, I can assure you," said the old
+man, "but in the meantime we will try to forget about it. You have had
+a tiring journey, Mr. Burnham, followed by a strange initiation into
+what is probably a new sphere of life altogether--the sphere of
+mysteries and detectives, and so forth. No, Ronald, we'll give Mr.
+Burnham a rest for to-night."
+
+But just as I was congratulating myself that we had escaped from the
+painful necessity of putting him off with an evasive answer, if not a
+deliberate lie, the butler entered and announced that he had shown
+Mr. Hilderman into the library.
+
+"Well, as we are ready, we had better join him," said the old man, and
+we adjourned to the other room.
+
+Now if Hilderman should by any tactless remark betray our strange
+experience in the afternoon there would be the devil to pay. I
+followed the General into the library, beckoning to the American with
+a warning finger on my lip. He saw at once what I meant, fortunately,
+and held his tongue, and we all talked of general matters for some
+little time. Then Hilderman took the bull by the horns.
+
+"As a matter of fact, General," he announced boldly, "I ran over to
+have a word with Mr. Ewart about a certain matter which is interesting
+us all. I don't suppose you wish me to worry you with details at the
+moment?"
+
+"I should be very glad to hear what you have to tell us, Mr.
+Hilderman, but unfortunately I--er--I have a few letters I simply
+must write, so I hope you will excuse me. My daughter is in the
+drawing-room, so perhaps you fellows would care to join her there. Her
+counsel will be of more use to you than mine in your deliberations, I
+have no doubt."
+
+However, when we looked for her in the drawing-room Myra was not
+there, and I found her in her den.
+
+"Why not bring him in here?" she asked. "He won't bite, and it will
+be more conducive to a free and easy discussion. I should like to
+hear what he has to say for himself in view of his running away this
+afternoon, and I shouldn't feel comfortable in the drawing-room with
+this shade on. In here I feel that he must just put up with any
+curiosities he meets."
+
+So we made ourselves comfortable in the den, and Hilderman sat in a
+chair by the window.
+
+"Of course, you know what I have come to speak about, Mr. Ewart," he
+began at once. "You must have thought my conduct this afternoon was
+very strange--very unsportsmanlike, to say the least."
+
+"Oh, I don't know," I replied as lightly as I could. "It was a very
+strange affair, and it rather called for strange conduct of one sort
+or another."
+
+"Still, you must have thought it cowardly to run away as quickly as I
+could," he insisted.
+
+"It was some time before we even noticed you had left us," I laughed,
+"and then, I confess, I couldn't quite make out where you had got to
+or why you had gone."
+
+"As a matter of fact we were rather scared," Dennis put in. "We
+searched for you in the river."
+
+"It sounds a very cowardly confession to make," Hilderman admitted,
+"but I went back to the landing-stage, got into my boat, and cleared
+off as quickly as I could. I must ask you to believe that I was under
+the impression that it would be best for us all that I should. But my
+idea proved to be a bad one and nothing came of it. So here I am to
+ask you if you have learned anything or have anything to suggest."
+
+"I'm afraid we're more at a loss than ever now," I admitted. "The
+further we get with this thing the less we seem to know about it,
+unfortunately."
+
+Hilderman was exceedingly sympathetic, and though he made numerous
+suggestions he was as puzzled as we were ourselves. I had some
+difficulty in defining his attitude. We knew as much as was sufficient
+to hang his friend "Fuller," but I could not make up my mind whether
+he really was a friend of von Guernstein's or not. It was a small
+thing that decided me. On an occasionable table beside the American
+lay a steel paper-knife, a Japanese affair, with a carved handle and a
+very sharp blade. Hilderman picked up the knife and toyed with it.
+
+"I should be careful with that, Mr. Hilderman," I advised. "That is a
+wolf in sheep's clothing; it's exceedingly sharp."
+
+"Oh, yes!" cried Myra. "If you mean my paper-knife, it ought not
+really to be used as a paper-knife at all, the point is like a needle.
+I must put it away or hang it up as an ornament."
+
+The American laughed and laid the knife down again on the table, and
+we resumed our discussion. Both Dennis and I knew that we must be very
+careful to conceal our suspicions, but at the same time we did our
+best to reach some sort of conclusion with regard to Hilderman
+himself.
+
+"And, I suppose, until you have searched about the Saddle," he
+remarked, "you will be no further on as to who stole Miss McLeod's
+dog. It seems to me that the dog was taken by the man who wished to
+conceal an illicit still, and the green flash, or green ray, or
+whatever you call it, is simply a manifestation of some strange
+electrical combination in the air."
+
+"I'm afraid we shall have to leave it at that," I said with an
+elaborate sigh of regret.
+
+"Not when you have Mr. Burnham's distinguished powers of deduction to
+assist you, surely, Mr. Ewart?" said Hilderman, and waited for an
+answer.
+
+"Flukes are not very consistent things, I fear," Dennis supplied him
+readily, "and if we are to make any progress we shall hardly have time
+for idle speculation."
+
+"Fortune might continue to favour you," the American persisted. "Don't
+you think it's worth trying?"
+
+"I'm afraid not," said Dennis, with a laugh that added emphasis and
+conviction to his statement.
+
+"By the way," Myra suggested, "I don't know if anybody would care for
+a whisky and soda or anything. I won't have drinks served in here, but
+if anybody would like one, you know where everything is, Ron. I always
+say if anyone wants a drink in my den they can go and get it, and
+then I know they really like being in the den. You see I'm a woman,
+Mr. Hilderman," she laughed.
+
+"I must say I think the idea of refreshment would not enter the head
+of anyone who had the pleasure of your company here, Miss McLeod,
+unless you suggested it yourself."
+
+We laughed at the rather heavy compliment, and I went into the
+dining-room to fetch the decanters, syphons and glasses.
+
+"I'll help you to get them," called Dennis, and followed me out of the
+room.
+
+"Well?" I asked as soon as we reached the other room. "What do you
+make of it?"
+
+"I'm not sure," Dennis admitted. "I'm puzzled. I shouldn't be
+surprised if he turned out to be a Government secret service man
+keeping an eye on Fuller-von-Guernstein, and that when he has quite
+made up his mind that the mystery of the green ray is connected with
+his own business he will show his hand."
+
+"Something of the same sort occurred to Garnesk," I said. "Well,
+at present we'd better avoid suspicion and go back before he thinks
+we're holding a committee meeting."
+
+So I led the way to the den. I was walking carefully and slowly,
+because I was unaccustomed to carrying trays of glasses and things,
+and consequently I made no noise. I pushed the door open with my
+shoulder, Dennis following with a couple of syphons, and as I did so
+I chanced to glance upwards.
+
+In a large mirror which hung over the fireplace I saw the reflection
+of Hilderman's face, knitted in a fierce frown, gazing intently at
+some object which was outside my view. Myra was talking, though what
+she was saying I did not notice. I went into the room and put the tray
+on the big table, and as I filled the glasses I looked round casually
+to see what Hilderman had been looking at. Lying on the sofa on which
+Myra was sitting was the copy of the _Pictures_, open at the page
+bearing the incriminating photograph!
+
+I mixed Hilderman's drink according to his instructions--for by this
+time he had entirely recovered his equanimity--and handed it to him.
+As I did so I happened to look in the direction of the small table
+beside him. Myra's Japanese paper-knife was still there, but the point
+had been stuck more than an inch into the mahogany top of the table. I
+turned away quickly, with a laughing remark to Myra, which did not
+seem to raise any suspicion at the time, though I have no recollection
+now what it was I said.
+
+A few moments afterwards I quietly and unostentatiously slipped out of
+the room. Surely there could be no doubt about it now. The whole thing
+was obvious. Hilderman had noticed the paper, jumped to the conclusion
+that we suspected everything, and in the sudden access of baffled rage
+had picked up the paper-knife and stabbed it into the table.
+
+There was only one possible reason for that--Hilderman was an enemy.
+In that case, I thought, he has come here to try and find out how much
+we know and to keep an eye on us. Possibly he might be attempting to
+keep us there so that Fuller could get up to some satanic trick
+elsewhere. I decided to act at once. I turned back to the den and put
+my head round the door.
+
+"Will you people excuse me for a bit?" I said lightly. "The General
+wants me." And with that I left them. I had almost asked Hilderman not
+to go till I came back, but I was afraid it might sound suspicious to
+his acute ears. I hardly knew what to do. I should have liked to have
+been able to speak with Dennis, if only for a moment. Indeed, I am
+quite ready to confess that just then I would have given all I
+possessed for ten minutes' conversation with my friend. I stole
+quietly out of the house, and thought furiously.
+
+If Hilderman wanted to keep us from spying on Fuller, where was
+Fuller? Would I be wiser to wait and try to keep an eye on Hilderman,
+or was my best plan to ignore him and try and locate his German
+friend? I decided on the latter course. I went back and wrote a short
+note to Dennis and slipped it inside his cap.
+
+"I'm convinced they are both enemies. Take care of Myra. I may be out
+all night. Don't let her worry about me; I may not be back for some
+time, but I shall come back all right.--R."
+
+I left this for my friend, knowing that sooner or later he would find
+it, and went down to the landing-stage. The _Baltimore II._ and Myra's
+boat, the _Jenny Spinner_, were drawn up alongside, and I realised
+that if I took the _Jenny_ I should be raising Hilderman's suspicions
+at once. Anchored a little way out was another small motor-boat--the
+first the General had--which Myra had also called after a trout
+fly--the _Coch-a-Bondhu_--though the play upon words was lost on most
+people. The boat was still in constant use, and Angus and Hamish
+continually went into Mallaig and Glenelg in it to collect parcels and
+so on. I ran to the petrol shed, and got three tins of Shell, put them
+in the dinghy and pushed out to the _Bondhu_, climbed on board,
+sounded the tank, filled it up, and started out across the Loch. I can
+only plead my anxiety to get well out of sight and hearing before
+Hilderman should think of leaving the house, as an excuse for my
+lamentable thoughtlessness on this occasion. Indeed, it was not till
+long afterwards that I realised I had forgotten to anchor the dinghy,
+and I left it, just as it was, to drift out to sea on the tide.
+
+I made all the pace I could and reached the other side in about twenty
+minutes. I was sadly equipped for an adventurous expedition! I had no
+flask to sustain me in case of need, no weapon in case I should be
+called to defend myself; I was wearing a dinner-jacket, no hat, and a
+pair of thin patent-leather pumps!
+
+I ran the boat right in shore, heedless of the danger to the
+propeller, in a small sandy cove round the point, so that I was hidden
+from Glasnabinnie. Then I realised that I had been a little too
+precipitate in my departure. There was no anchor-chain on board, and
+the painter was admirably suited for making fast to pier-heads and
+landing-stages at high tide, but was nothing like long enough to
+enable me to make the craft secure on short. However, I dragged her as
+far up as I could, and prayed that I might be able to return before
+the tide caught her up and carried her away. In those circumstances I
+should have been stranded in the enemy's country, by no means a
+pleasing prospect!
+
+Having done the best I could for Myra's faithful motor-boat, I made my
+way round the hill, climbing cautiously upwards all the time, my
+dinner-jacket carefully buttoned in case a gleam of moonlight on my
+shirt-front should give me away at a critical moment. It was a rocky
+and difficult climb, and I soon regretted that I had not taken the
+bridle path to Glasnabinnie and made my way boldly up the bed of the
+burn. However, it was too late to turn back, and eventually, after one
+or two false steps and stumbles, I succeeded in reaching a spot from
+which I could obtain a good view of the hut. No, there was no light
+there, no sign of movement at all. I decided to work my way round to
+the other side and then, if I continued to get no satisfaction, to
+descend to the house. The windows of the hut, or smoking-room, as the
+reader will no doubt remember, extended the whole length of the
+structure; and surely, I thought, if there were a light in the place
+it would be bound to be visible. I edged round the face of a steep
+crag, floundered across the stream between the two falls, getting
+myself soaked above the knees as I did so, and crouched among the
+heather on the other side of the building. No, there was no one there,
+the place was deserted. I knelt down and peered about me listening
+intently.
+
+Not a sound greeted my expectant ear save the incessant rumble of the
+falls. Then as I turned my attention to the house itself and looked
+down the course of the burn to Glasnabinnie, I could scarcely suppress
+a cry of astonishment. For there below me, moving to and fro between
+the house and the hut, was a constant procession of small lights, like
+a slowly moving stream of glow-worms, twenty or thirty yards apart. I
+was rooted to the spot. What could it mean? Was this another weird
+natural manifestation, or was it, as was much more likely, a couple of
+dozen men bearing lights? Yes, that was it, men bearing lights--and
+what else besides? Men don't climb up and down steep watercourses in
+the night for the sake of giving an impromptu firework display to an
+unexpected visitor, I told myself. There was only one thing to do, and
+that was to investigate the matter and chance what might happen to me.
+I crept down to the hut, and lay on my face among the heather and
+listened. Here and there a mumble of voices, now and then a subdued
+shout, apparently an order to be carried out by the mysterious
+light-bearers, broken occasionally by the shrill call of a gull,
+conveyed nothing to me that I could not see. I looked up at the hut.
+No, there was no one there, and the windows were not screened, because
+I could see the moonlight streaming through the far side. Yet, surely,
+the hut must be their objective, I thought. Where else could they be
+going to? Fascinated, I crawled on my hands and knees till I could
+touch the walls of the smoking-room by putting out my arm. I heard a
+great commotion coming, it seemed, from the very ground beneath my
+feet.
+
+I laid my ear to the ground and listened. The noise grew louder, and
+the voices seemed to be shouting against a more powerful sound--the
+waterfall, possibly. I thought perhaps the floor of the hut would give
+me more opportunity to locate the source of the disturbance. I threw
+caution to the winds and slipped through the wide windows into the
+room. I moved as carefully as I could, however, once my feet found the
+floor, for if there should be anyone below they would probably hear me
+up above. I turned back the carpet in order to hear more distinctly,
+and as I did so I noticed a rectangular shaft of light which trickled
+through the floor. There was a trap-door. I knelt down and lifted it
+cautiously by a leather tab which was attached to one side of it and
+peered through. I can never understand how it was I did not drop that
+hatch again with a self-confessing crash when I realised the
+extraordinary nature of the sight that greeted my eyes. There was I in
+the smoking-hut of a peaceful American citizen, where only a few hours
+before I had spent a pleasant hour in friendly conversation, and now I
+was lying on the edge of the entrance to a great cavern.
+
+Below me there was a confused mass of machinery and men. Some were
+working on scaffolding, others were many feet below. The nearest of
+them was so close to me that I could have leaned down and laid my hand
+on his head. I tried to make out what they were doing, but except that
+they were dismantling the machinery, whatever it might be, I could
+make nothing of it. I watched them breathlessly, trembling lest at any
+moment one of them should look up and detect my presence.
+
+The place was lighted by electricity, though there were not enough
+lamps to illuminate the cavern very brightly, and as my eyes got
+accustomed to the lights and shadows I was able to make out the cause
+of this.
+
+Evidently there was a turbine engine below, driven by the water from
+the falls, which supplied the necessary power. After a moment or two
+it dawned on me how the cavern came to be there; it was, or had been,
+the course of a hidden river, such as are common enough among the
+mountains, but the stream had been diverted, probably by some sort of
+landslide, and had left this tumbler-shaped cave, resembling a pit
+shaft. Now, I thought, I have only to find out what all this machinery
+is for and the whole mystery is solved. I opened the trap a little
+further, and allowed my body to hang slightly over the edge.
+
+Then for the first time I saw, to my right, fixed so that it almost
+touched the floor of the hut, a great round brass object, mounted on
+an enormous tripod, which, again, stood on a platform. In front of
+this was a large square thing like a mammoth rectangular condenser,
+such as is used for photographic enlarging and other projection
+purposes. Had it not been for this condenser I should have taken the
+whole thing to be an elaborate searchlight. But, I asked myself, what
+would be the good of a searchlight there? Suddenly the whole truth
+dawned upon me.
+
+The searchlight must operate through a trap in the wall of the hut
+just below the floor. I leaned further in, forgetting my danger in the
+intoxication of sudden discovery.
+
+Only a foot or two away from me a man was working on the searchlight.
+Carefully taking it to pieces, he was handing the parts to another
+man, who was perched on the scaffold below him. He was so close to
+me that I could hear him breathing. I was about to wriggle back to
+safety when he looked up. He gave a sudden loud shout. I lay there
+fascinated. After all, I thought, before they can reach me I can slip
+out and edge round the cliff, run down on to the shore, and get away
+in the motor-boat. But I had reckoned without my host. Even as the man
+shouted, and the others left their work to see what was the matter,
+Fuller dashed out from behind the platform, gave one terrified look at
+me, and, flinging himself at the wall of the cavern, threw all his
+weight on a rope which dangled there. I scuttled to my feet, intending
+to make a bolt for it. But the boards shivered beneath me, and, before
+I could realise what was happening, I found myself hurtling through
+the air to the floor of the cavern below.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+SOME GRAVE FEARS.
+
+
+And now, as the reader will readily understand, I must continue the
+story as it was afterwards related to me.
+
+Myra, the General, and Dennis sat up and waited for me till the
+early hours of the morning, but I did not return. The young people did
+what they could to assure the old man that my sudden and unexpected
+disappearance had been entirely voluntary, and Dennis, who had found
+my note, as soon as he put on his cap to stroll out casually, and see
+where I had got to, gave him subtly to understand that it was really
+part of a prearranged plan, and Myra at length persuaded him to go to
+bed at midnight.
+
+When I failed to put in an appearance at breakfast-time, however, even
+they began to be a trifle alarmed, but they did their best to conceal
+their fears. They scoured the hillside and then went down to the
+landing-stage. Dennis had reported the previous night that the
+motor-boat was still in its place when he saw Hilderman off, and it
+never occurred to Myra that I might make my departure in the
+_Coch-a-Bondhu_.
+
+"He hasn't gone by the sea, any way," Dennis announced again, as he
+and the girl stood on the landing-stage.
+
+"You mean the _Jenny_ is still there?" she asked.
+
+"Yes," said Dennis, "she's just where she was when we arrived from
+Glasnabinnie in Hilderman's boat yesterday."
+
+"Mr. Burnham!" Myra cried suddenly, "is there another boat, a brown
+motor-boat, anchored just out there?"
+
+"No," said Dennis, realising how terribly handicapped they were by
+Myra's inability to see.
+
+"Are you sure?" the girl asked anxiously.
+
+"Quite sure," said Dennis positively. "There is one motor-boat here,
+and that is all."
+
+"I suppose he took that to put Hilderman off the scent," Myra mused,
+"and in that case he is probably quite safe. I daresay he's gone to
+look for our friend von What's-his name's yacht or his house at Loch
+Duich."
+
+Dennis clutched at the opportunity this theory gave him to allay her
+fears, and declared that it was ridiculous of him not to have thought
+of it before, and he gave Myra his arm to the house. But he was not at
+all satisfied with it, and, as it turned out afterwards, Myra was not
+very confident about it either. Dennis knew me well enough to know
+that I should never have set out with the deliberate intention of
+stopping away overnight without leaving some more definite message for
+my _fiancée_. However, their thoughts were speedily diverted, for they
+had hardly reached the house before a strange man made his way
+towards them through the heather.
+
+"Mr. Ewart, sir?" he asked.
+
+"Do you wish to speak to Mr. Ewart?" Dennis asked cautiously.
+
+"I have a parcel and a message for him from Mr. Garnesk," said the
+stranger, a young man, who might have been anything by profession.
+
+"Oh, indeed," said Dennis, his suspicions aroused at once. Garnesk, he
+knew, had only arrived in Glasgow the night before.
+
+"I see you are wondering how I got here and why I came down the hill,
+instead of up a road of some sort," said the youth with a smile.
+
+"Frankly, I was," Dennis admitted.
+
+"Then, perhaps, I had better explain who I am and how I come to
+be here. My name is McKenzie. I am employed by Welton and Delaunay,
+the Glasgow opticians, makers of the 'Weldel' telescopes and
+binoculars. Mr. Garnesk has a good deal to do with our firm in the
+matter of designs for special glasses to withstand furnace heat, for
+ironworkers, etc. He arrived at the works last night in a car, and,
+after consulting with the manager, they kept a lot of us at work all
+night on a new design of spectacles.
+
+"I was sent with this parcel in the early hours of the morning.
+There was no passenger train, but Mr. Garnesk got me a military pass
+on a fish train, and here I am. I was to deliver the parcel to Mr.
+Ewart, or, failing him, to Miss McLeod. When I saw this lady with
+the--er--the shade over her eyes I thought you were probably Mr.
+Ewart, sir."
+
+"I'm not, as a matter of fact," said Dennis. "But where have you come
+from, and why didn't you come up the path?"
+
+"Mr. Garnesk gave me instructions, sir, which I read to the boatman
+who brought me here. Mr. Garnesk said I would find several fishermen
+at Mallaig who had motor-boats, and would bring me across. He also
+gave me this paper, and told me on no account to deviate from the
+directions he gave."
+
+Dennis held out his hand for the paper. He glanced through it, and
+then read it to Myra.
+
+"Take a motor-boat from Mallaig to Invermalluch Lodge," he read. "Tell
+the man to cross the top of Loch Hourn as if he were going to Glenelg,
+but when he gets well round the point he is to double back, and land
+you as near as he can to the house, but to keep on the far side of the
+point. You are on no account to be taken to the landing-stage at the
+lodge. When you arrive at the lodge insist on seeing Mr. Ewart, or
+Miss McLeod personally, if Mr. Ewart is not there. Then rejoin your
+motor-boat, and go on to Glenelg. Wait there for the first boat that
+will take you to Mallaig, and come back by the train. Do not return to
+Mallaig by motor-boat."
+
+"Those are very elaborate instructions, Mr. Burnham," said Myra. "It
+would seem that Mr. Garnesk is very suspicious about something."
+
+"Evidently," Dennis agreed. "You'd better let Miss McLeod have that
+parcel," he added to McKenzie. The youth handed him the parcel, and at
+Myra's suggestion Dennis opened it. Topmost among its contents was a
+letter addressed to me. Dennis tore it open and read it.
+
+"Miss McLeod is to wear a pair of these glasses until I see her again.
+She will be able to see through them fairly well, but she must not
+remove them. The consequences might be fatal. The three other pairs
+are for you and Burnham, and one extra in case of accidents. It will
+also come in handy if you take Hilderman into your confidence. Wear
+these glasses when you are in any danger of coming in contact with the
+green ray. I have an idea that they will act as a decided protection.
+I also enclose one Colt automatic pistol and cartridges, the only
+one I could get in the middle of the night. If you decide to ask
+Hilderman's help tell him everything. I am sure he will be very useful
+to you. Keep your courage up, old man! The best to you all. In
+haste.--H.G."
+
+"We're certainly learning something," said Dennis, as he finished.
+"Obviously Garnesk is very suspicious of somebody, but it's not
+Hilderman. He writes as if he were pretty sure of himself. Probably he
+has proved his theory about Hilderman being a Government detective."
+
+"I have a message for Mr. Ewart, sir," the messenger interrupted.
+
+"You had better tell it me," Dennis suggested.
+
+"I'd rather Miss McLeod asked me," McKenzie demurred. "Those were Mr.
+Garnesk's instructions. He said 'failing Mr. Ewart, insist on seeing
+Miss McLeod.'"
+
+"Very well," laughed Myra. "I quite appreciate your point. May I know
+the message?"
+
+"Mr. Ewart was to take no notice whatever of anything Mr. Garnesk said
+in his letter about Mr. Hilderman. He was on no account to trust Mr.
+Hilderman, but to be very careful not to let him see he was suspected.
+The gentlemen were always to wear their glasses whenever they were in
+sight of the hut above--Glas.--above Mr. Hilderman's house."
+
+"Whew!" Dennis whistled. "But why didn't he----? Oh, I see. He was
+afraid the letter might fall into Hilderman's hands."
+
+"I wonder where Ron can have got to?" Myra mused wistfully.
+
+"We're very much obliged to you for all the trouble you have taken,
+Mr. McKenzie," said Dennis. "You've done very well indeed."
+
+"Oh, Mr. Garnesk also said that Miss McLeod was to put on her glasses
+by the red light."
+
+"Yes; that's important," Dennis agreed. "We'll go up to the house now,
+shall we, Miss McLeod?"
+
+"Yes," said Myra, "and Mr. McKenzie must come and have a meal and a
+rest, as I'm sure he needs both after his journey. I'll send Angus to
+look after the boatman." So the three strolled up to the lodge.
+
+"By the way," said Dennis, "of course it's all right, and you've
+carried out your instructions to the letter, but how can you be sure
+this is Miss McLeod, and how do you know I'm not Hilderman?"
+
+"Mr. Garnesk described everybody I should be likely to meet," McKenzie
+replied, "including Mr. Hilderman and Mr. Fuller. I know you are Mr.
+Ewart's friend because you have a small white scar above your left
+eyebrow. So, being with you, and wearing a shade and an Indian bangle,
+I thought I was safe in concluding the lady was Miss McLeod."
+
+"Garnesk doesn't seem to miss much!" Dennis laughed.
+
+"He made me repeat his descriptions about twenty times," said
+McKenzie, "so I felt pretty sure of myself."
+
+When they got up to the lodge, and the messenger's requirements had
+been administered to, Dennis unpacked the parcel. The spectacles
+proved to be something like motor goggles; they fitted closely over
+the nose and forehead, and entirely excluded all light except that
+which could be seen through the glass. The only curious thing about
+them was the glass itself. Instead of being white, or even blue, it
+was red, and the surface was scratched diagonally in minute parallel
+lines. Myra and Dennis hurried upstairs, and lighted the lamp in the
+dark-room. When the girl came down again she declared that she could
+see beautifully. Everything was red, of course, but she could see
+quite distinctly.
+
+"Have you any idea why these glasses are ruled in lines like this?"
+Dennis asked McKenzie.
+
+"I couldn't say for certain, sir," the youth replied. "But I should
+think it was because Mr. Garnesk thought the glasses would be so near
+the eye as to be ineffective. In photography, for instance, you can't
+print either bromide or printing-out paper in a red light. But if you
+coat a red glass with emulsion, and make an exposure on it, you can
+print the negative in the usual way. I don't know why it is."
+
+"Perhaps there is no space for a ray to form," Myra suggested.
+
+"You must tell Mr. Garnesk how deeply grateful we all are to him,"
+said Dennis. "I'll give you a letter to take back to him. It has been
+a wonderfully quick bit of work!"
+
+"I should think he has got some hundreds of the glasses finished by
+this time," said McKenzie, "and he has already asked for an estimate
+for fifty thousand of them."
+
+"Whatever for?" Myra exclaimed.
+
+"I couldn't say at all, but Mr. Garnesk probably has it all mapped
+out. He always knows what he's about."
+
+A couple of hours later McKenzie left for Glenelg, with ample time to
+catch his boat, and the others sat down to lunch. Myra was delighted
+that she could see, even though everything was red. Just as they had
+finished lunch a telegram was delivered to Dennis. It was handed in at
+Mallaig, and it read: "Don't worry about me. May be away for a few
+days.--EWART."
+
+"Oh, good!" exclaimed Dennis. "A wire from Ron. He's all right. 'Don't
+worry about me. May be away for a few days.' Sent from Mallaig. He may
+have got something he feels he must tell Garnesk about, and has gone
+to Glasgow."
+
+"I expect that's it," Myra agreed. "I'm glad he's wired. I do hope
+he'll write from wherever he is to-night. Do you think I shall get a
+letter in the morning?"
+
+"Certain to," Dennis vowed, laying the telegram on the mantelpiece.
+"He's sure to write, however busy he is."
+
+Though Myra was disappointed that there was no personal message for
+her, she tried to believe that everything was all right. Dennis went
+on what he called coastguard duty, and watched the sea and shores with
+the untiring loyalty of a faithful dog. That night, after dinner, he
+went out to keep an eye on things, and left Myra with her father. She
+has told me since that she felt miserable that I had not wired to her,
+and went to fetch my telegram in order to get what comfort she could
+from my message to Dennis. She held the telegram under the light, and
+read it through. The words were: "May be away for a few days.--EWART."
+She made out the faint pencil writing slowly through the red glass.
+She read it twice through, and then suddenly collapsed into an
+armchair in the horror of swift realisation. "Ewart!" she whispered,
+"Ewart! He would never sign a telegram to Mr. Burnham in that way. If
+Ronnie didn't send that wire, who did?"
+
+In a moment she jumped to her feet. She must act, and act quickly.
+
+She ran into the den, and picked up the revolver and cartridges which
+Garnesk had sent, and which she had put carefully away until I should
+come and claim them. She loaded the revolver, and tucked it in the
+pocket of the Burberry coat which she slipped on in the hall. Then she
+tore down to the landing-stage, and made straight for Glasnabinnie in
+the _Jenny Spinner_. She had got about half a mile when Dennis, coming
+up to the top of the cliff on his self-imposed coastguard duties, saw
+her and recognised her through his binoculars.
+
+He ran down to the landing-stage, putting on his red glasses as he
+went. His horror was complete when he found there was no craft of any
+kind about, not even a rowboat. Alas! I had idiotically allowed the
+dinghy to drift away. He ran along the shore, every now and then
+looking anxiously through his binoculars for any sign of any kind of
+boat that would get him over to Glasnabinnie in time to fulfil his
+promise of looking after "Ron's little girl."
+
+Myra has since admitted--and how proud I was to hear her say it--that
+she forgot about everything and everybody except that I was in danger,
+and probably Hilderman knew something about it. Her one thought was to
+hold the pistol to his head and demand my safe return.
+
+She came ashore a little beyond the house, having made a rather wide
+detour, so that she should not be seen. She knew the best way to the
+hut, and there was a light in it. She thought Hilderman would be
+there. She had passed well to seaward of the _Fiona_, and noticed that
+she was standing by with steam up. Myra climbed the hill to the hut
+with as much speed as she could.
+
+Hilderman was standing below the door of the smoking-room talking to
+three men. She knew that she would have no chance, even with a
+revolver, against four men. She might hurt one of them, but she
+recognised, fortunately, that the others would overpower her.
+
+Eventually Hilderman went into the hut, and two of the men stayed
+outside talking. The other went down the hill. It was in watching
+this man that Myra saw the sight that had astonished me, the
+continuous stream of lights down the bed of the burn. She waited, so
+she said it seemed, for hours and hours, before she could see a real
+chance of attacking Hilderman.
+
+Indeed, neither she nor Dennis can give any very clear idea precisely
+how long it was that she waited there, but it must have been a
+considerable time. At last Hilderman was alone. Myra crept to the edge
+of the little plateau on which the hut stood, and then made a dash for
+the door. She thrust it open and stepped inside, pulling it to behind
+her. Hilderman sprang to his feet with an oath as he saw her.
+
+"Heavens!" he cried. "You!"
+
+Myra drew the revolver and presented it at him.
+
+"Put up your hands, Mr. Hilderman," she said, with a calmness that
+astonished herself, "and tell me what you have done with Ronnie--Mr.
+Ewart."
+
+"I must admit you've caught me, Miss McLeod!" Hilderman replied. "I
+can only assure you that your _fiancé_ is safe."
+
+"Where is he?" Myra asked.
+
+"He is quite close at hand," Hilderman assured her, "and quite safe.
+What do you want me to do?"
+
+"You must set him free at once," said Myra quietly.
+
+"And if I refuse?"
+
+"I shall shoot you and anyone else who comes near me."
+
+"Now look here, Miss McLeod," said Hilderman, "I may be prepared to
+come to terms with you. If you shot me and half a dozen others it
+would not help you to find Mr. Ewart. On the other hand, it would be
+awkward for us to have a lot of shooting going on, and I have no wish
+to harm Mr. Ewart. If I produce him, and allow you two to go away, are
+you prepared to swear to me that you will neither of you breathe a
+word of anything you may know to any living soul for forty-eight
+hours? I think I can trust you."
+
+Myra thought it over quickly.
+
+"Yes," she said, "if you will----"
+
+But she never finished the sentence. At that moment someone caught her
+wrist in a grip of steel, and wrenched the pistol from her.
+
+"Come, come, Miss McLeod," said Fuller. "This is very un-neighbourly
+of you."
+
+Myra looked round her in despair. There must be some way out of this.
+She cudgelled her brains to devise some means of getting the better of
+her captives. Fuller laid the pistol on the table and sat down.
+
+"You need not be alarmed," he said. "We shall not hurt you. You will
+be left here, that is all. And we shall get safely away. After this we
+shall not be able to leave your precious lover with you, but Hilderman
+insists that he shall not be hurt, and we shall take him to Germany
+and treat him as a prisoner of war."
+
+Then Myra had an inspiration. She turned her head towards Fuller, as
+if she were looking about two feet to the right of his head.
+
+"You may as well kill me as leave me here," she said calmly.
+
+"Nonsense," said Hilderman. "If we leave you here, and see that you
+have no means of getting away by sea, you will have to find your way
+across the hills or round the cliffs. There is no road, and by the
+time you return to civilisation we shall be clear."
+
+"That's very thoughtful of you," said Myra. "You bargain on my falling
+over a precipice or something. A blind girl would have a splendid
+chance of getting back safely!"
+
+"Good heavens!" Hilderman cried. "I thought you must be able to see.
+Fuller, this means that that fellow Burnham came with her, and is
+close at hand. What in the name----"
+
+But he, too, was interrupted, for a great, gaunt figure flashed like
+some weird animal through the window. A long bare arm reached over
+Fuller's shoulder and snatched the pistol.
+
+"Yes, Mr. Burnham is with her," said Dennis quietly, as he stood in
+front of them, stripped to the waist, the water pouring off him in
+streams, and covered them with the revolver.
+
+Hilderman and Fuller von Guernstein held up their hands as requested.
+
+"This is very awkward," said Fuller. "We shall have to let that
+wretched Ewart go."
+
+And then Dennis swayed, threw up his arms, and fell sideways, full
+length on the floor. Myra glanced at him, and threw herself on her
+knees beside the prostrate form.
+
+"Dead!" she screamed. "_Dead!_"
+
+Hilderman pushed her gently aside, and knelt down to examine Dennis.
+
+"It's his heart," he announced. "Come Hugo. We're safe now, and the
+girl's blind. Let's get away."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE TRUTH REVEALED.
+
+
+I will here resume my own narrative.
+
+When I came to myself I was dazed and aching, but, so far as I could
+discover, there were no bones broken. The curious part about it was
+the rapidity with which I recalled my fall into the cavern. When I
+found I could move my limbs freely I sat up, and discovered that I was
+in a small cabin on board a steamer. I stood up and stretched myself.
+I was feeling weak and ill, but that would pass off I thought. A
+minute's speculation decided me that I was on board the _Fiona_, in
+which case I was shanghaied.
+
+I knew that if I valued my life I must act at once. I opened the door
+of the cabin, and was surprised to find that it was unlocked. Then I
+crept cautiously in the shadows of the dawn up the companion-ladder to
+the deck. Though I heard voices I could see no one close to me. I
+stole along the deck and listened. The voices were talking quite
+freely in German. Where could we be? And, more important still, where
+were we going?
+
+I looked around me, and saw that we were steaming slowly down a narrow
+loch, surrounded by mountains which stretched right down to the
+shores. I looked across the deck and almost shouted out in my
+surprise. For there, moving gracefully alongside of us, was a
+submarine. There were two officers on the deck of the submarine
+chatting with Hilderman and Fuller, who were leaning over the rail of
+the _Fiona_. A submarine! A German submarine in a peaceful Scottish
+loch! Then this was the secret base we had discussed. I looked up at
+the wheel-house. In front of it was the very searchlight, with its
+curious condenser that I had seen in the cavern.
+
+What could it mean? I decided to slip overboard unseen, if possible,
+swim to the shore, and get back over the rocks to the mouth of the
+loch, and give the alarm if I should be fortunate enough to attract
+the attention of any passing steamer.
+
+But suddenly an idea struck me. I crept quickly up the ladder to the
+deckhouse, threw my arms round the man at the wheel, flung him down on
+to the deck, and swung the wheel round with all the strength I had in
+me. There was a dull, crunching sound as the yacht lurched round. A
+groaning shiver shook her, and, if I may be pardoned the illustration,
+it felt exactly as if the ship were going to be sick. There were
+hoarse cries from the men, and as the _Fiona_ righted herself I looked
+astern. There was a frothy, many-coloured effervescence of oil and
+water.
+
+The submarine had disappeared! The yacht was nearing the head of the
+loch. It was now or never. I made a dash for the side, but Fuller was
+before me. He tripped me up, and I fell heavily to the deck, bruising
+myself badly and giving my head a terrible bump. I put up my arm in a
+last feeble attempt to defend myself. Fuller's hands closed on my
+throat and nearly choked the life out of me, and as I sank back,
+struggling for breath, a loud cry rang out from Hilderman.
+
+"Guernstein! Guernstein!" he yelled.
+
+Fuller let me go and ran to Hilderman. I lifted myself on my elbow.
+Somehow or other I would crawl to the side, and get away before he
+came back to finish me, but as I looked out over the stern I was
+rooted to the spot by the sight that met my eyes. Or was I deluding
+myself with the fantastic delirium of a dying man? Not four hundred
+yards away was a motor-boat. It was Hilderman's _Baltimore II._, and
+in it were Myra, my poor Myra, and Garnesk and Angus, all wearing
+motor-goggles. But, strangest of all, a British destroyer was puffing
+serenely behind them. No, I must be dreaming. Garnesk had told me he
+was sending glasses for Myra. He had mentioned his connection with the
+naval authorities. This must be the nightmare of death-agony.
+
+Then Fuller rushed up the wheel-house ladder and jumped on to the
+searchlight platform. Suddenly there flashed out on the grey light of
+the dawn a vivid green ray. So, then, the mystery was solved--but,
+alas! too late. The green ray was produced by a searchlight, and every
+man on the destroyer would be blind. I looked back, and as I did so I
+remembered, with an uncanny distinctness, old General McLeod's words,
+"The rock came to me." The warship seemed suddenly to grow double its
+size, and then double that, and so on, growing bigger and bigger until
+it appeared to fill the entire loch, and spread out the whole length
+of the horizon. I could even see a gold signet-ring on the finger of a
+young officer on the bridge. I looked round at the details of the
+boat; it stood out in amazing clearness. If one man on that ship,
+hundreds of yards away, had opened his mouth I could have counted his
+teeth. Suddenly I gasped with astonishment as I awoke to the fact that
+every man on board the destroyer was wearing motor-goggles! I had no
+time to speculate about this new surprise, for then the _Fiona_, left
+to her own devices, suddenly crashed ashore. The ship shook and
+shivered, and Fuller was thrown on his face beside the searchlight,
+and as I looked again the destroyer had resumed its normal
+proportions.
+
+Then the crew of the _Fiona_ rushed about the deck in mad terror,
+until, evidently at the wise suggestion of one of their number, they
+decided to wait calmly and give themselves up. Hilderman, closely
+followed by Fuller, sprang ashore, and made for the mountains. Half a
+dozen shots rang out from the destroyer, and a rifle bullet checked
+Fuller's progress before he had gone more than a few yards.
+
+Hilderman, however, managed to reach the shelter of a ridge of rock,
+and I watched him as he scuttled up the mountain side, and made
+straight for a long grey rock which protruded from the foot of a steep
+crag. And as I looked, and saw him go to the rock and open a door in
+it, I realised that it was really a great, grey, lean-to shed,
+cunningly concealed. Hilderman had scarcely opened the door when a
+huge, dark shadow seemed to fall out of the shed and envelop him. It
+was Sholto. Blind, and half-mad with fury, he sprang at Hilderman's
+throat with the unerring aim of his breed. The wretched man staggered
+and fell, and Sholto----.
+
+I turned away from the sickening sight, and looked over the side, and
+saw Myra standing up, waving to me, as they drew alongside the wrecked
+_Fiona_.
+
+And then I'm afraid I must have fainted.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+I lay on the sofa in Myra's den, and Myra--God bless her!--was
+kneeling beside me. Sholto was with us too, looking incredibly wise in
+a pair of motor-goggles.
+
+"So you see, darling," said Myra, "the glasses cured me completely,
+and I can see just as well as ever." And I shall not repeat what I
+said in reply to such glorious news.
+
+"Tell me, dear," I asked shortly, "what exactly happened with Dennis?
+I haven't quite got that."
+
+"Well, he saw me on my way to Glasnabinnie," she explained, "and was
+determined to follow. He couldn't find a boat of any kind, so he swam!
+Angus saw him in the water and ran and told daddy. When they found
+there was no boat they went and fetched the one on the loch, carried
+it down to the sea, and called Hamish. Then they pulled across. Then,
+you see, when Dennis had his heart attack, I thought he was only
+pretending. I thought he saw that we should never be able to get away
+again, and that if he pretended to be dead they would leave us alone.
+So I followed his lead. I was terribly frightened when I couldn't make
+him answer me after they had gone, but before I could do anything
+daddy and the men arrived. Angus stopped with me, and told me where
+the _Fiona_ had gone. We took the _Baltimore_ because she is much
+faster than our boat. He must have been a duffer to lose that race we
+had. And then daddy and Hamish took Dennis--I refuse to call him Mr.
+Burnham after this--and brought him here and sent for Dr. Whitehouse."
+
+"I'm thankful he's out of danger," I said fervently.
+
+"But the doctor says he must take it very, very gently for a long
+time, and he won't be able to walk much for months. Did he know he
+had this heart trouble?"
+
+I had scarcely finished explaining the extent of Dennis's heroism when
+Garnesk arrived.
+
+"Hilderman's dead!" he said. "He made a full confession. It seems he
+is a German, and his name's von Hilder. He has lived most of his life
+in America. He is a brilliant physicist, and has done some big things
+with electricity and light. He was here to prepare the submarine base
+you found, and he also got on with a new invention--The Green Ray. Of
+course he didn't give the secret of that away, but we have the
+searchlight, and I have already tumbled to it partly. It is
+practically a new form of light.
+
+"It is formed by passing violet and orange rays through tourmaline and
+quartz respectively. The accident to Miss McLeod was their first
+intimation of its blinding properties, and to the end he knew nothing
+about the suffocation part of it. I find by experiment that when the
+two rays are switched on simultaneously the air does not become
+de-oxygenised, but when you put the violet ray first it does, and it
+remains so until the orange ray is applied. The effect that Hilderman
+imagined, and succeeded in producing, was a ray of light which should
+so alter the relative density of the air as to act as a telescope.
+He's done it, and it's one of the finest achievements of science.
+However, I have a piece of wonderful news for you."
+
+"What is it?" we both demanded at once.
+
+"The Secret of the Green Ray is ours, and ours alone. Hilderman has
+admitted that the reason why they did not clear it out at the first
+sign of suspicion was that, in their final calculations, they were
+unsure of their figures. That means, put popularly, that though he
+knew what he was trying to do, and how he meant to do it, the actual
+result was something of a fluke. It very often is with inventors. They
+had no drawings that they could rely on to make another searchlight
+by, so they were bound to take the whole thing back with them. They
+could send no figures, because the relative distances and other
+quantities baffled them. They could not take the searchlight back in
+pieces, because if any piece had been broken they might not have been
+able to reconstruct the proportions with critical accuracy, as we say.
+So what was to have been Germany's hideous weapon of war is now ours.
+We have a searchlight which acts as a telescope, which will pierce the
+deepest fog, and which will dispel the most ungodly poisonous gases
+ever invented. You can see for yourself that no gas could make headway
+against the atmosphere you encountered the other day. Armies and
+navies will be absolutely powerless to advance against it. The green
+ray is the fourth arm of military power. So you see what you've done
+for your country, you lucky dog!"
+
+"_I!_" I cried. "I like that! I've had less to do with it than
+anyone. What about you, eh?--coming running up with a gunboat at the
+critical moment. How did you manage that?"
+
+"Well," he replied, "as soon as I was in the train on my way back I
+solved the problem of the fateful hour--with your help, of course. You
+pointed out that only then was the whole of the gorge flooded with
+sunshine. Now, it struck me that, if it were not electricity, it would
+be heat or some other form of light. Then it flashed into my mind that
+if it were done from a searchlight possessed of some devilish
+properties the light would not be visible, but the properties would
+continue to act. _Voilà!_ Then I had already--also with your help--had
+some doubt of von Hilder; and the hut was _the_ place from which a
+searchlight would operate on the river. As soon as I got out of the
+train I taxied to my naval chief, under whom I am working throughout
+the war, and simply paralysed him with the whole yarn. I pitched him
+such a tale that he got through to the gunboat to stand by at Mallaig.
+They were at Portree, nice and handy. I rushed and got the glasses
+done for the men, picked up the destroyer at Mallaig, and made round
+here to find out what was happening. Then we sighted Miss McLeod and
+Angus, and you know the rest. Miss McLeod refused to take the shelter
+the warship offered, and Angus refused to leave her, so I stayed with
+them. We acted as pilot-boat, and there you are. That's the lot! Are
+you satisfied?"
+
+"I'm satisfied, old man," I said, holding out my hand. "Some day I'll
+try and tell you _how_ satisfied."
+
+"Oh, that's all right," he laughed, and left us in great spirits to
+return to the searchlight.
+
+And so I was left alone with Myra, who a month ago became my wife. For
+my services rendered in connection with the remarkable affair I
+received an appointment in the Naval Intelligence Department, while
+many of our recent successes on land and on sea have, though the truth
+has been withheld from the public, been due to the employment of The
+Green Ray.
+
+                         THE END.
+
+_Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London and Reading._
+
+
+
+
+TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
+
+Minor changes have been made to correct typesetter's errors; otherwise,
+every effort has been made to remain true to the author's words and
+intent.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Mystery of the Green Ray, by William Le Queux
+
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+
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
+  <head>
+    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" />
+    <title>
+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Mystery of the Green Ray, by William Le Queux.
+    </title>
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+
+
+<pre>
+
+Project Gutenberg's The Mystery of the Green Ray, by William Le Queux
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Mystery of the Green Ray
+
+Author: William Le Queux
+
+Release Date: September 16, 2008 [EBook #26637]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN RAY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by D. Alexander and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
+produced from images generously made available by The
+Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<p class="smallgap">&nbsp;</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 362px;">
+<img src="images/icover.jpg" width="362" height="500" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<p class="smallgap">&nbsp;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" />
+
+<h1>
+THE MYSTERY OF THE<br />
+GREEN RAY</h1>
+
+<p class="gap">&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3>BY</h3>
+
+<h2>WILLIAM LE QUEUX</h2>
+
+<p class="center">AUTHOR OF &#8220;THE UNNAMED&#8221;</p>
+
+<p class="gap">&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3><i>SECOND EDITION</i></h3>
+
+<p class="gap">&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h2>HODDER AND STOUGHTON</h2>
+<h2>LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO</h2>
+
+<p class="center">MCMXV</p>
+
+<hr class="large" />
+
+<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+<hr class="small" />
+
+<div class="centered">
+<table border="0" width="65%" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" summary="CONTENTS">
+
+<tr><td align="left">&nbsp;</td>
+<td align="right">PAGE</td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER I.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">BESIDE STILL WATERS</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#THE_MYSTERY_OF_THE_GREEN_RAY">1</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER II.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">THE MAN GOING NORTH</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">17</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER III.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">MAINLY ABOUT MYRA</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">31</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER IV.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">THE BLACK BLOW</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">50</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER V.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">IS MORE MYSTERIOUS</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">63</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER VI.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">CONTAINS A FURTHER ENIGMA</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">78</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER VII.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">THE CHEMIST&#8217;S ROCK</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">91</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER VIII.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">MISTS OF UNCERTAINTY</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">102</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER IX.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">THE MYSTERY OF SHOLTO</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">116</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER X.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">THE SECRET OF THE ROCK</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">126</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XI.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">HOW THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">133</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XII.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">WHO IS HILDERMAN?</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">149</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XIII.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">THE RED-HAIRED MAN</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">167</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XIV.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">A FURTHER MYSTERY</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">178</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XV.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">CONCERNS AN ILLUSTRATED PAPER</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">188</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XVI.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">DISCLOSES CERTAIN FACTS</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">202</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XVII.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">SOME GRAVE FEARS</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">220</a></td></tr>
+
+<tr><td align="center">CHAPTER XVIII.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="left">THE TRUTH REVEALED</td>
+<td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">235</a></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+<hr class="large" />
+<h2><a name="THE_MYSTERY_OF_THE_GREEN_RAY" id="THE_MYSTERY_OF_THE_GREEN_RAY"></a>THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN RAY</h2>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2>
+
+<h3>BESIDE STILL WATERS.</h3>
+
+<p>The youth in the multi-coloured blazer laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;d have to come and be a nurse,&#8221; he suggested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, I&#8217;d go as a drummer-boy. I&#8217;d look fine in uniform, wouldn&#8217;t I?&#8221;
+the waitress simpered in return.</p>
+
+<p>Dennis Burnham swallowed his liqueur in one savage gulp, pushed back
+his chair, and rose from the table.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Silly young ass,&#8221; he said, in a voice loud enough for the object of
+his wrath to hear. &#8220;Let&#8217;s get outside.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The four of us rose, paid our bill, and went out, leaving the youth
+and his flippant companions to themselves. For it was Bank Holiday,
+August the third, 1914, and I think, though it was the shortest and
+most uneventful of all our river &#8220;annuals,&#8221; it is the one which we are
+least likely to forget. On the Saturday Dennis, Jack Curtis, Tommy
+Evans and myself had started from Richmond on our yearly trip up the
+river. Even as we sat in the two punts playing bridge, moored at our
+first camping-place below Kingston Weir, disquieting rumours reached
+us in the form of excited questions from the occupants of passing
+craft. And now, as we rose from the dinner-table at the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>Magpie,
+Sunbury, two days later, it seemed that war was inevitable.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What I can&#8217;t understand,&#8221; growled Dennis, as we stepped into one of
+the punts and paddled idly across to the lock, &#8220;is how any young idiot
+can treat the whole thing as a terrific joke. If we go to war with
+Germany&mdash;and it seems we must&mdash;it&#8217;s going to be&mdash;&mdash;Good Heavens! who
+knows what it&#8217;s going to be!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Meaning,&#8221; said Tom, who never allowed any thought to remain
+half-expressed, &#8220;meaning that we are not prepared, and they are. We
+have to step straight into the ring untrained to meet an opponent who
+has been getting ready night and day for the Lord knows how many
+years.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Still, you know,&#8221; said Jack, who invariably found the bright spot in
+everything, &#8220;we never did any good as a nation until we were pushed.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We shall be pushed this time,&#8221; I replied; &#8220;and if we do go to war, we
+shall all be wanted.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And wanted at once,&#8221; Tom added.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Which brings me to the point which most concerns us,&#8221; said Dennis,
+with a serious face. &#8220;What are <i>we</i> going to do?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It seems to me,&#8221; I replied, &#8220;that there is only one thing we can do.
+If the Government declare war, it is in your cause and mine; and who
+is to fight our battles but you and me?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s it, old man, exactly,&#8221; said Dennis.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> &#8220;We must appear in person,
+as you lawyers would say. I&#8217;m afraid there&#8217;s not the slightest hope
+of peace being maintained now; and, indeed, in view of the
+circumstances, I should prefer to say there is not the slightest fear
+of it. We can&#8217;t honourably keep out, so let us hope we shall step in
+at once.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Jack&#8217;s muttered &#8220;hear hear&#8221; spoke for us all, and there was silence
+for a minute or two. My thoughts were very far away from the peaceful
+valley of the Thames; they had flown, in fact, to a still more
+peaceful glen in the Western Highlands&mdash;but of that anon. I fancy the
+others, too, were thinking of something far removed from the ghastly
+horror of war. Jack was sitting with an open cigarette-case in his
+hand, gazing wistfully at the bank to which we had moored the boat.
+There was a &#8220;little girl&#8221; in the question. Poor chap; I knew exactly
+what he was thinking; he had my sympathy! The silence became
+uncomfortable, and it was Jack who broke it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Give me a match, Tommy,&#8221; he exclaimed suddenly, &#8220;and don&#8217;t talk so
+much.&#8221; Tom, who had not spoken a word for several minutes, produced
+the matches from a capacious pocket, and we all laughed rather
+immoderately at the feeble sally.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;As to talking,&#8221; said Tom, when our natural equanimity had been
+restored, &#8220;you all seem to be leaving me to say what we all know has
+to be said. And that is, what is the next item on the programme?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I think we had certainly better decide&mdash;&mdash;&#8221; Dennis began.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You old humbug!&#8221; exclaimed Tom. &#8220;You know perfectly well that we&#8217;ve
+all decided what we are going to do. It is merely the question of
+putting it in words. In some way or other we intend to regard the case
+of Rex <i>v.</i> Wilhelm as one in which we personally are concerned. Am I
+right?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Scored a possible,&#8221; said Jack, who had quite recovered his spirits.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;In which case,&#8221; Tom continued, &#8220;we don&#8217;t expect to be of much
+assistance to our King and country if we go gallivanting up to
+Wallingford, as originally intended. The question, therefore, remains,
+shall we go back by train&mdash;if we can find the station here&mdash;or shall
+we punt back to Richmond?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think we need worry about that,&#8221; said Dennis. &#8220;I vote we go
+back by river; it will be more convenient in every way, and we can
+leave the boats at Messums. If things are not so black as we think
+they are we can step on board again with a light heart, or four light
+hearts, if you prefer it, and start again. What do you say, Ron?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should prefer to paddle back,&#8221; I replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> &#8220;It would be a pity to
+break up our party immediately. I don&#8217;t want to be sentimental, or
+anything of that sort, but you chaps will agree that we have had some
+very jolly times together in the past, and if we are all going to take
+out our naturalisation papers in the Atkins family, it is just
+possible that we&mdash;well, we may not be all together again next year.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And you, Jack?&#8221; asked Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, down stream for me,&#8221; said young Curtis, with what was obviously
+an effort at his usual light-hearted manner. &#8220;Think of all the beer
+we&#8217;ve got left.&#8221; But the laugh with which he accompanied his remark
+was not calculated to deceive any of us, and I am afraid my clumsy
+speech had set him thinking again. So we went &#8220;ashore,&#8221; and had a
+nightcap at the Magpie, where the flippant youth was announcing to an
+admiring circle that if he had half a dozen pals to go with him he
+wouldn&#8217;t mind joining the army himself! Having scoured the village in
+an unavailing attempt to round up half a pound of butter, we put off
+down stream, and spent the night in the beautiful backwater. No one
+suggested cards after supper, and we lay long into the night
+discussing, as thousands of other people all over the country were
+probably discussing, conscription, espionage, martial law, the
+possibilities of invasion, and the probable duration of the war. I
+doubt very much if we should have gone to sleep at all had we been
+able to foresee the events which the future, in its various ways, held
+in store for each of us. But, as it was, we plunged wholeheartedly
+into what Tommy Evans described as &#8220;Life&#8217;s new interest.&#8221; We
+positively thrilled at the prospect of army life.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Think of it,&#8221; said Jack enthusiastically, &#8220;open air all the time.
+Nothing to worry about, no work to do, only manual labour. Why, it&#8217;s
+going to be one long holiday. Hang it! I&#8217;ve laid drain-pipes on a
+farm&mdash;for fun!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>It was past one o&#8217;clock when we got out supper. And our appetites lost
+nothing by the prospect of hardships which we treated rather lightly,
+since we entirely failed to appreciate their seriousness. Jack&#8217;s
+visions of storming ramparts at the point of the bayonet merely added
+flavour to his amazing collation of cold beef, ham, brawn, cold fowl,
+and peaches and cream, with which he insisted on winding-up at nearly
+two in the morning. He would have shouted with laughter had you told
+him that in less than three weeks he would be dashing through the
+enemy&#8217;s lines with despatches on a red-hot motor-cycle. And
+Tommy&mdash;poor old Tommy&mdash;well, I fancy he would have been just as
+cheerful, dear old chap, had he known the fate that was in store. For
+to him was to fall the lot which, of all others, everyone&mdash;rich and
+poor alike&mdash;understands. There is no need for me to repeat the story.
+Even in the rush of a war which has already brought forward some
+thousands of heroes, the reader will remember the glorious exploit of
+Corporal Thomas Evans, in which he won the D.C.M., and also,
+unfortunately, gave his life for his country. It is sufficient to say
+that three men in particular will ever cherish his memory as that of a
+loyal <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>friend, a cheery comrade, a clean, honest, straightforward
+Englishman through and through.</p>
+
+<p>As for Dennis and myself&mdash;but I am coming to that.</p>
+
+<p>Having finished our early morning supper, we turned in for a few
+hours&#8217; sleep, Jack and Tommy in one boat, Dennis and I in the other.
+But before we did so we stood up, as well as we could under our canvas
+roof, and drank &#8220;The King&#8221;; and I fancy that in the mind of each of us
+there was more than one other name silently coupled with that toast.
+Then, for the first time in my memory of our intimacy together, we
+solemnly shook hands before turning in. But, try as I would, I
+couldn&#8217;t sleep. For a long time I lay there, in the beautiful silence
+of the night, my thoughts far away, sleep farther away still.
+Presently I grovelled for my tobacco-pouch.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Restless, Ron?&#8221; Dennis asked, himself evidently quite wide awake.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Can&#8217;t sleep at all,&#8221; I answered. &#8220;But don&#8217;t let me disturb you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re not disturbing me, old man. I can&#8217;t sleep either. Let&#8217;s light
+the lamp and smoke.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly we fished out our pipes and relighted the acetylene lamp,
+which hung from the middle hoop. Jack turned over in his sleep.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Put out the light, old fellow. Not a cab&#8217;net meeting, y&#8217;know,&#8221; he
+murmured drowsily. And by way of compromise I pulled <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>the primitive
+draught curtain between the two boats, and as I sat up to do so I
+noticed with a start that Dennis wore a worried look I had never seen
+before. I lay back, got my pipe going, and waited for him to speak.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I wonder,&#8221; he said presently, through the clouds of smoke that hung
+imprisoned beneath our shallow roof&mdash;&#8220;I wonder if there would have
+been any war if the Germans smoked Jamavana?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What&#8217;s worrying you, Den?&#8221; I asked, ignoring his question.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Worrying me? Why, nothing. I&#8217;ve got nothing to worry about. What
+about you, though? I don&#8217;t want to butt in on your private affairs,
+but you&#8217;ve a lot more to be worried about than I have.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I? Oh, nonsense, Dennis,&#8221; I protested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;None of that with me, Ron. You know what I mean. There&#8217;s no point in
+either of us concealing things. This war is going to make a big
+difference to you and Myra McLeod. Now, tell me all about it. What do
+you mean to do, and everything?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;There isn&#8217;t much to tell you. You know all about it. We&#8217;re not
+engaged. Old General McLeod objects to our engagement on account of my
+position. Of course, he&#8217;s quite right. He&#8217;s very nice about it, and
+he&#8217;s always kindness itself to me. You know, of course, that he and my
+father were brother officers? Myra and I have been chums since she was
+four. We love each other, and she would be content to wait, but, in
+the meantime&mdash;well, you know my position. I can only describe it in
+the well-worn phrases, &#8216;briefless barrister&#8217; and &#8216;impecunious junior.&#8217;
+There&#8217;s a great deal of truth in the weak old joke, Dennis, about the
+many that are called and the few that are briefed. Of course the
+General is right. He says that I ought to leave Myra absolutely alone,
+and neither write to her nor see her, and give her a chance to meet
+someone else, and all that&mdash;someone who could keep her among her own
+set. But I tried that once for three months; I didn&#8217;t answer her
+letters, or write to her, and I worried myself to death very nearly
+about it. But at the end of the three months she came up to town to
+see what it was all about. Gad, how glad I was to see her!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I bet you were,&#8221; said Dennis, sympathetically. &#8220;But what d&#8217;you mean
+by telling me you&#8217;d got nothing to worry about? Now that you&#8217;re just
+getting things going nicely, and look like doing really well, along
+comes this wretched war, and you join the army, and such practice as
+you have goes to the devil. It&#8217;s rotten luck, Ronnie, rotten luck.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It is a bit,&#8221; I admitted with a sigh. My little bit of hard-earned
+success had meant a lot to me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Still,&#8221; said Dennis,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> &#8220;you&#8217;ve got a thundering lot to be thankful for
+too. To begin with, she&#8217;ll wait for you, and then, if necessary, marry
+on twopence-halfpenny a year, and make you comfortable on it too. As
+far as her father is concerned, she&#8217;s very devoted to him, and would
+never do anything to annoy him if she could possibly help it, as I
+easily spotted the night we dined with them at the Carlton. But she&#8217;s
+made up her mind to be Mrs. Ronald Ewart sooner or later; that I
+<i>will</i> swear!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very glad to hear you say so,&#8221; I answered, &#8220;but the thing that
+worries me, of course, is the question as to whether I have any right
+to let this go on. If war is declared&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Which it will be,&#8221; said Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, then, my practice goes to the devil, as you say. How long after
+the war is it going to be before I could marry one of Myra&#8217;s maids,
+let alone Myra? And, supposing, of course, that I use the return half
+of my ticket, so to speak, and come back safe and sound, my own
+prospects will be infinitely worse than they were before the war. The
+law, after all, is a luxury, and no one will have a great deal of
+money for luxuries by the time we have finished with it and wiped
+Germany off the map. Besides, if there&#8217;s no money about, there&#8217;s
+nothing to go to law over. So there you are, or, rather, there I am.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What do you intend to do, then?&#8221; my friend asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall go up to Scotland to-morrow night&mdash;well, of course, it&#8217;s
+to-night, I should say&mdash;and see her&mdash;and&mdash;and&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Yes&mdash;well, and&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, and tell her that it must be all&mdash;all over. I shall say that the
+war will make all the difference, that I must join the army, and that
+she must consider herself free to marry someone else, and that, as in
+any case I might never come back, I think it&#8217;s the best thing for us
+both that she should consider herself free, and&mdash;er&mdash;and&mdash;and consider
+herself free,&#8221; I ended weakly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Just like that?&#8221; asked Dennis, with a twinkle in his eye.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall try and put it fairly formally to her,&#8221; I said, &#8220;because, of
+course, I must appear to be sincere about it. I must try and think out
+some way of making her imagine I want it broken off for reasons of my
+own.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Dennis laughed softly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You delicious, egotistical idiot,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You don&#8217;t really imagine
+that you could persuade anyone you met for the first time even that
+you&#8217;re not in love. By all means do what you think is right, Ron. I
+wouldn&#8217;t dissuade you for the world. Tell her that she is free. Tell
+her why you are setting her free, and I&#8217;ll be willing to wager my
+little all that you two ridiculous young people will find yourselves
+tied tighter together than ever. By all means do your best to be a
+good little boy, Ronald, and do what you conceive to be your duty.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You needn&#8217;t pull my leg about it,&#8221; I said, though somewhat
+half-heartedly.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not pulling your leg, as you put it,&#8221; Dennie answered, in a more
+serious tone. &#8220;If ever I saw honesty and truth and love and loyalty
+looking out of a girl&#8217;s eyes, that girl is Myra McLeod.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank you for that, Den,&#8221; I answered simply. There was little
+sentiment between us. Thank heaven, there was something more.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And so you see, you lucky dog, you&#8217;ll go out to the front, and come
+back loaded with honours and blushes, and marry the girl of your
+dreams, and live happy ever after.&#8221; And Dennis sighed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why the sigh?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;Oh, come now,&#8221; I added, suddenly
+remembering. &#8220;Fair exchange, you know. You haven&#8217;t told me what was
+worrying you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear old fellow, don&#8217;t be ridiculous, there&#8217;s nothing worrying
+me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I pressed him to no purpose. He refused to admit that he had a care in
+the world, and so we fell to talking of matters connected with the
+routine of army life, how long we should be before we got to the
+front, the sport we four should have in our rest time behind the
+trenches, our determination to stick together at all costs, etc.
+Suddenly Dennis sat bolt upright.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Gad!&#8221; he cried savagely, &#8220;if you beggars weren&#8217;t going, I could stick
+it. But you three leaving me behind, it&#8217;s&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Leaving you behind?&#8221; I echoed in astonishment.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> &#8220;But why, old man?
+Aren&#8217;t you coming too?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I hope so,&#8221; said Dennis bitterly; &#8220;I hope so with all my heart, and I
+shall have a jolly good shot at it. But I know what it will be, worse
+luck.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But why, Dennis?&#8221; I asked again. &#8220;I don&#8217;t understand.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course you don&#8217;t,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;but you&#8217;ve got your own troubles,
+and there&#8217;s no point in worrying about me, in any case.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I begged him to tell me; I pleaded our old friendship, and the fact
+that I had taken him into my confidence in the various vicissitudes of
+my own love affair. It struck me at the time that it was I who should
+have been indebted to him for his patient sympathy and help; and here
+he was, poor old fellow, with a real, live trouble of his own,
+refusing to bother me with it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;So you&#8217;ve just got to own up, old man,&#8221; I finished.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, it&#8217;s really nothing,&#8221; said Dennis miserably. &#8220;I&#8217;m a crock, that&#8217;s
+all. A useless hulk of unnecessary lumber.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How, my dear chap?&#8221; I asked incredulously. Here was Dennis Burnham,
+who had put up a record for the mile in our school days, and lifted
+the public school&#8217;s middle-weight pot, a champion swimmer, a massive
+young man of six-foot-two in his socks, calling himself a crock.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You remember that summer we did the cruise from Southampton to
+Stranraer?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Heavens! yes,&#8221; I exclaimed, &#8220;and we capsized the cutter in the
+Solway, and you were laid up in a farmhouse at Whithorn with rheumatic
+fever. Am I ever likely to forget it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not, anyway,&#8221; said Dennis, ruefully. &#8220;That rheumatic fever left
+me with a weak heart. I strained it rowing up at Oxford, you remember,
+and that fever business put the last touches on it for all practical
+purposes.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Are you sure, old man?&#8221; I asked. It seemed impossible that a great
+big chap like Dennis, the picture of health, should have anything
+seriously wrong with him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m dead sure, Ron; I wish I weren&#8217;t. Not that it matters much, of
+course; but just now, when one has a chance to do something decent for
+one&#8217;s Motherland and justify one&#8217;s existence, it hits a bit hard.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Is it serious?&#8221; I asked&mdash;&#8220;really serious?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Sufficient to bar me from joining you chaps, though I&#8217;ll see if I can
+sneak past the doctor. You remember about three weeks ago we were to
+have played a foursome out at Hendon, and I didn&#8217;t turn up? I said
+afterwards that I had been called out of town, and had quite forgotten
+to wire.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Which was extremely unlike you,&#8221; I interposed; &#8220;but go on.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Well, as a matter of fact, I was on my way. I was a bit late, and
+when I got outside Golders Green Tube Station I ran for a &#8217;bus. The
+rest of the day I spent in the Cottage Hospital. No, I didn&#8217;t faint.
+The valve struck, and I simply lay on the pavement a crumpled mass of
+semi-conscious humanity till they carted me off on the ambulance. It&#8217;s
+the fourth time it&#8217;s happened.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course you had good advice?&#8221; I asked anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Heavens! yes,&#8221; he exclaimed; &#8220;any amount of the best. And they all
+say the same thing&mdash;rest, be careful, no sudden excitement, no strain,
+and I may live for ever&mdash;a creaking door.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear old Den,&#8221; I said, for I was deeply touched. &#8220;Why didn&#8217;t you
+tell me?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Plenty of worries of your own, old man,&#8221; he answered, more
+cheerfully; &#8220;and, besides, it would have spoiled everything. You
+fellows would have been nursing me behind my back, to use an Irishism,
+and trying to prevent my noticing it. You know as well as I do that if
+you had known I should have been a skeleton at the feast.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You must promise me two things,&#8221; I said presently. &#8220;One is that you
+won&#8217;t try to join the army; there is sure to be a rush of recruits in
+the next few days, and the doctors will be flurried, and may skip
+through their work roughshod. The other is that you will take care of
+yourself, run no risks, and do nothing rash while we are away.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The first he refused. He said he must do what he could to get through,
+if only to satisfy his conscience; but he made me the second <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>promise,
+and solemnly gave me his word that he would do nothing that would put
+him in any danger. Then at last, at his suggestion, we turned in; he
+insisted that I had an all-night journey in front of me. And so
+eventually I fell asleep, saddened by the knowledge of my friend&#8217;s
+trouble, but somewhat relieved that I had extracted from him a promise
+to take care of himself.</p>
+
+<p>Little did I dream that he would break his promise to save one who was
+dearer to me than life itself, or that I should owe all my present and
+future happiness to poor old Dennis&#8217;s inability to join the army.
+Truly, as events were to prove, &#8220;he did his bit.&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE MAN GOING NORTH.</h3>
+
+<p>We &#8220;made&#8221; Richmond about half-past eleven, and completed the necessary
+arrangements for the housing of the boats and the disposal of our
+superfluous fodder, as Jack called it, for by this time we had all
+made up our minds that the war was inevitable.</p>
+
+<p>The bustle of mobilisation had already taken possession of the
+streets, and as we stepped out of Charing Cross Station we stumbled
+into a crowd of English Bluejackets and Tommies and French reservists
+in Villiers Street. We parted for the afternoon, each to attend to his
+private affairs, and arranged to meet again at the Grand Hotel Grill
+Room for an early dinner, as I had to catch the 7.55 from King&#8217;s
+Cross.</p>
+
+<p>I dashed out to Hampstead to my flat, and packed the necessary wearing
+apparel, taking care to include my fly-book and my favourite
+split-cane trout rod in my kit. I should only be in Scotland for a
+couple of days, but I knew that I should be fishing with Myra at least
+one of them, and no borrowed rod is a patch on one&#8217;s own tried
+favourite. I snatched an half-hour or so to write to the few relatives
+I have and tell them that I was joining the army after a hurried visit
+to Scotland to say good-bye to Myra. And then I got my kit to Dennis&#8217;s
+rooms in Panton <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>Street, Haymarket, just in time to have a chat with
+him before we joined the others at the Grand Hotel. I found him
+hopefully getting things ready for a long absence, sorting out
+unanswered letters, putting away papers, etc. On the table was an open
+copy of a stores catalogue. He had been trying to find suitable
+presents for his two small step-sisters. Dennis invariably thought of
+himself last of all, and then usually at someone else&#8217;s request.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, old man,&#8221; I asked, &#8220;how do you feel about it now?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Rotten, Ronnie,&#8221; he replied, with a rueful smile. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been on the
+&#8217;phone to my silly doctor chap, and he shouted with laughter at me.
+Still, I shall have a jolly good shot at it as soon as the thing is
+definite.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I only pray to heaven,&#8221; I said seriously, &#8220;that no slipshod fool of a
+doctor lets you through.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;They won&#8217;t let me in, old chap; no such luck. It&#8217;s a ghastly outlook.
+What on earth am I to do with myself while the war lasts?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear chap,&#8221; I exclaimed, &#8220;it won&#8217;t be as bad as all that. There
+will be thousands of men who won&#8217;t go to the war. I shan&#8217;t be
+surprised if you see very little difference about town even when the
+war&#8217;s in full swing. You can&#8217;t go, although you want to, and it&#8217;s
+jolly bad luck, old man. Don&#8217;t think I don&#8217;t understand, but, believe
+me, you won&#8217;t be the only man left in London by a million or two.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I know,&#8221; he said penitently, &#8220;I&#8217;m grousing and worrying you. Sorry!
+But I can see you setting out for the Temple in the morning and
+leaving your house on fire. It wouldn&#8217;t make it easier simply because
+you knew you weren&#8217;t able to do anything to put out the fire. In fact,
+it would make it a jolly lot worse. Still, we&#8217;ll cut that and change
+the subject. When you get back from Invermalluch give me a look up. I
+expect I shall be here. And, of course, give my kindest regards to
+Miss McLeod&mdash;oh, and the General,&#8221; he added, as an afterthought.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I will, indeed,&#8221; I promised readily, &#8220;and I&#8217;ll wire you the train I&#8217;m
+coming back by. I should like you to meet it, and we can spend the few
+remaining days I have together. If you don&#8217;t get past the doctor I
+should like you to keep your eye on one or two things for me while I&#8217;m
+away.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course, anything you like. The more the merrier,&#8221; he answered
+readily; and the poor fellow brightened visibly at the thought of
+being able to do something for a pal.</p>
+
+<p>We taxied round the corner with my kit, and joined the others at the
+grill room. They were both in the highest of spirits, Jack, of course,
+in particular. He had been told that his intimate knowledge of motors
+and motor-cycles would be of great advantage to him, and he had been
+advised on all hands to join as a despatch-rider. In imagination he
+already saw himself up to the most weird pranks on his machine, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>many
+of which, much to the gratification of his friends, and just as much
+to his own astonishment, were proved later to have a solid foundation
+in fact. Over dinner we discussed the question of applying for
+commissions.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, dash it, no,&#8221; said Jack; &#8220;I&#8217;m going to Berlin on the old
+snorter.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Commissions are off&mdash;quite out of the question,&#8221; Tommy agreed with
+emphasis. &#8220;To begin with, it means waiting, which is absurd; and in
+the second place I object to any attempt to travel first-class. It&#8217;s
+silly and snobbish, to put the kindest construction on it. If I&#8217;ve got
+to join this excursion I&#8217;m willing to go where they like to put me,
+and if necessary I&#8217;ll hang on behind.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I record this remark because it was the last that I ever heard poor
+Tommy Evans make in this connection; and I think the reader will agree
+it was just what one would have expected of him.</p>
+
+<p>We said good-bye after dinner. They all wanted to come to the station
+to see me off, but I was anxious to be alone with Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>The others in any case had plenty to do, and I could scarcely let them
+sacrifice their &#8220;last few hours of liberty&#8221; to come and see me off. I
+rather expected that the excitement of the war would have prevented a
+lot of people travelling, but the reverse was the case. There seemed
+to be more people than ever on the platform, and I could not get a
+corner seat even in the Fort <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>William coach. I bundled my things into
+a carriage and took up as much room as I could, and then Dennis and I
+strolled about the platform until the train was due to start.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Strange mixtures of humanity you see on a railway platform,&#8221; Dennis
+remarked presently.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Very,&#8221; I agreed. &#8220;I daresay there are some very curious professions
+represented here.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;This chap, for instance,&#8221; said Dennis, indicating a youth in a tweed
+jacket and flannel trousers. &#8220;He might be anything from an M.P.&#8217;s
+private secretary to an artist&#8217;s model, for all we know. I should say
+he&#8217;s a journalist; he knows his way through a crowd as only
+journalists do.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;A typical Yorkshire cattle-dealer in his Sunday best,&#8221; I suggested,
+as we passed another passenger. And so we went the length of the
+platform making rough guesses as to the professions of my fellow
+travellers. Suddenly I noticed a tall man, wearing a tweed cap and a
+long covert-coat, his hands in his pockets, a stumpy cigar stuck in
+the corner of his mouth. His hair was gray, and his face bore signs of
+a tough struggle in early youth. His complexion was of that curious
+gray-yellow one sees frequently in America and occasionally in
+Denmark&mdash;something quite distinct from the bronze-gray of many
+colonials. I nudged Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What did you make of that?&#8221; I asked him after we had passed.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I should be much more interested to know what &#8216;that&#8217; made of us,&#8221; he
+replied.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Nothing, I should think,&#8221; I answered carelessly. &#8220;Why, the man&#8217;s eyes
+were nearly closed, he was half asleep. I bet he hasn&#8217;t taken the
+slightest notice of anyone for the past ten minutes. You could commit
+a murder under his nose and he wouldn&#8217;t see it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I think not,&#8221; said Dennis quietly. &#8220;I fancy that if you took out a
+cigarette-case as you passed him he would be able to tell you
+afterwards how many cigarettes you had left in the case, what brand
+they were, and what the monogram on the front was. If you&#8217;ve any
+murders to commit, Ronnie, I should be careful to see that our
+American friend is some thousands of miles away.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good heavens, you old sleuth!&#8221; I exclaimed in astonishment. &#8220;I never
+saw a more innocent-looking man in my life.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I hate innocent people,&#8221; said Dennis emphatically; &#8220;they are usually
+dangerous, and seldom half as innocent as they look.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But what makes you think this man is only pretending to look like a
+dreaming, unobservant idiot, and why do you call him American so
+definitely?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He may or may not be American; but we have to give him a name for
+purposes of classification,&#8221; Dennis explained.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> &#8220;In any case his
+overcoat was made in the States; the cut of the lapels is quite
+unmistakable. I knew an American who tried everywhere to get a coat
+cut like that over here, and failed. As to his being observant, you
+seem to have overlooked one important fact. There the man stands,
+apparently half asleep. Occasionally he displays a certain amount of
+life&mdash;tucks his papers more tightly under his arms, and so on. Now,
+the man who has been dreaming on a station platform and is obviously
+going by the train would wake up to look at the clock, or glance round
+to see how many are travelling, and generally take an interest in the
+bustle of the station. But this man doesn&#8217;t. Why? Because he only
+wakes up when his interest wanders, and that is only when he has seen
+all he wants to see for the moment. When we pass him the second time
+he will probably appear to be more awake, unless there is someone else
+passing him in the other direction, simply because he has seen us and
+sized us up and dismissed us as of no interest; or, more likely,
+stowed us away in his capacious memory, and, having no further use for
+us, he forgets to appear disinterested.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good Lord, Dennis!&#8221; I exclaimed, &#8220;I&#8217;d no idea you ever noticed things
+so keenly. What do you think he is&mdash;a detective?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Either that or a criminal. They are the same type of mind. One is
+positive and the other negative, that&#8217;s all. We&#8217;ll turn back and test
+him as we pass him. Talk golf, or fishing, or something.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p><p>So we commenced a half-hearted conversation on trout flies, and as we
+approached &#8220;the American&#8221; I was explaining the deadly nature of the
+Red Palmer after a spate and the advisability of including Greenwell&#8217;s
+Glory on the same cast. Unfortunately, as we passed our man there were
+three other people coming towards us, and he was gazing over the top
+of the carriage with the same dreaming look that had, according to
+Dennis, deceived me before. But we were hardly abreast of him when his
+stick shot up in front of us. His arm never moved at all; it was done
+with a quick jerk of the wrist.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve dropped a paper, sir,&#8221; he said to Dennis, to my utter
+astonishment, for I had seen no paper dropped. Dennis turned quickly,
+and picked up a letter which was lying on the platform behind him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very much obliged, sir; thank you,&#8221; said Dennis, as he put the
+letter in his pocket.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I never saw you drop that,&#8221; I exclaimed when we were safely out of
+earshot. &#8220;Did you?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;There you are,&#8221; my friend cried triumphantly. &#8220;You were walking
+beside me and you didn&#8217;t spot it, and he was some distance away and he
+did; and you say he was half asleep.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I say, Den,&#8221; I exclaimed, laughing, &#8220;d&#8217;you think it&#8217;s going to be
+safe to travel on this train? I wonder where he&#8217;s going?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Then we dismissed the man from our minds. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>The train was going in six
+minutes, and I joined the crowd round the rug and pillow barrow, and
+prepared to make myself comfortable. Leaving everything to the last
+minute, as most travellers do, we had a hurried stirrup-cup in view of
+the fact that I was about to &#8220;gang awa&#8217;,&#8221; and as the train glided out
+of the station Dennis turned to wire for my breakfast-basket at
+Crianlarich. The one thing that it is important to do when travelling
+on the West Highland Railway I had forgotten! We had not passed
+Potter&#8217;s Bar before I decided that it would be impossible to sleep, so
+I ferreted out the attendant and bribed him to put me into a
+first-class carriage. Better still, he showed me into a sleeper. I was
+dog-tired, and in ten minutes fell fast asleep. I awoke for a moment
+or two as the train snorted into a station and drew up. I dozed again
+for some time, and then the door of my sleeper opened and who should
+look in but &#8220;the American.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Say, I beg your pardon,&#8221; he exclaimed apologetically. &#8220;My mistake.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not at all,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;Where are we now?&#8221; For the train was still
+standing.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Edinburgh,&#8221; he answered. &#8220;Just leaving. Sorry to disturb you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I again assured him that there was no harm done, and he turned and
+left me, the tassels of his Jaeger dressing-gown trailing after him.
+Then I fell asleep again, and woke up as we left Whistlefield. I had
+finished my wretched <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>ablutions&mdash;for an early morning wash on a train
+is always a wretched business&mdash;as we reached Crianlarich. I was not
+long in claiming my breakfast; and when the passengers in the
+refreshment-room had finished their coffee&mdash;which seems to be the time
+when the train is due to leave, and not <i>vice-vers&acirc;</i>, as might be
+expected&mdash;the guard was standing on the platform, flag in hand, on the
+point of blowing his whistle. Suddenly the head of the American shot
+out of the window of his carriage&mdash;no other expression describes it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Say, conductor,&#8221; he exclaimed angrily, &#8220;where&#8217;s my breakfast?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Surely Dennis had been right about the nationality.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What name might it be, sir?&#8221; asked the guard.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hilderman&mdash;J. G. Hilderman. Ordered by telegraph.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll see, sir,&#8221; said the guard, dashing into the refreshment-room. It
+did not seem to matter when the train started; but, after a further
+heated argument, in which the official refused to wait while a couple
+of eggs were being fried, Mr. Hilderman was supplied with a pot of
+coffee, some cold ham, and dried toast, and we recommenced our belated
+journey. I reached Fort William and changed on to the Mallaig train,
+as did Mr. Hilderman, on whom, after the breakfast episode, I had
+begun to look with an affectionate and admiring regard. The man <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>who
+can keep a train waiting in Great Britain while the guard gets him his
+breakfast must be very human after all. Most of the way on the
+beautiful journey through Lochaber I leaned with my head out of the
+window, drinking in the gorgeous air and admiring the luxurious
+scenery of the mountain side. But, in view of the hilly nature of the
+track and the quality of the coal employed, it is always a dangerous
+adventure on the West Highland Railway, and presently I found myself
+with a big cinder in my eye. I was trying to remove the cause of my
+discomfort, and at the same time swearing softly, I am afraid, when
+Hilderman came up.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I guess I&#8217;m just the man you&#8217;re looking for,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Show me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>In less time than it takes to tell the offending cinder was removed,
+and I was amazed at the delicacy and certainty of his touch. I thanked
+him profusely, and indeed I was really grateful to him. Naturally
+enough, we fell into conversation&mdash;the easy, broad conversation of two
+men who have never seen each other before and expect never to see each
+other again, but are quite willing to be friends in the meantime.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Terrible news, this,&#8221; he said presently, pulling a copy of the
+<i>Glasgow Herald</i> from his pocket. &#8220;I suppose you got it at Fort
+William?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I said. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t leave the train. I wasn&#8217;t thinking of
+newspapers. What is it?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;A state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany as from
+twelve o&#8217;clock last night.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah!&#8221; said I. &#8220;It has come, then.&#8221; And I was surprised that I had
+forgotten all about the war, which was actually the cause of my
+presence there. I noticed with some curiosity that Hilderman looked
+out of the window with a strangely tense air, his lips firmly pressed
+together, his eyes wide open and staring. He was certainly awake now.
+But in a moment he turned to me with a charming smile.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You know, I&#8217;m an American,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But this hits me&mdash;hits me hard.
+There&#8217;s a calm and peaceful, friendly hospitality about this island of
+yours that I like&mdash;like a lot. My own country reminds me too much of
+my own struggles for existence. For nearly forty years I fought for
+breath in America, and, but that I like now and again to run over and
+have a look round, you can keep the place as far as I&#8217;m concerned.
+I&#8217;ve been about here now for a good many years&mdash;not just this part,
+for this is nearly new to me, but about the country&mdash;and I feel that
+this is my quarrel, and I should like to have a hand in it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Perhaps America may join in yet,&#8221; I suggested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not she,&#8221; he cried, with a laugh.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> &#8220;America! Not on your life. Why,
+she&#8217;s afraid of civil war. She don&#8217;t know which of her own citizens
+are her friends and which ain&#8217;t. She&#8217;s tied hand and foot. She can&#8217;t
+even turn round long enough to whip Mexico. Don&#8217;t you ever expect
+America to join in anything except family prayer, my boy. That&#8217;s safe.
+You know where you are, and it don&#8217;t matter if you don&#8217;t agree about
+the wording of a psalm. If an American was told off to shoot a German,
+he&#8217;d ten to one turn round and say: &#8216;Here, hold on a minute; that&#8217;s my
+uncle!&#8217;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You think all the Germans in the States prefer their fatherland to
+their adopted country, or are they most of them spies?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Spies?&#8221; said Hilderman, &#8220;I don&#8217;t believe in spies. It stands to
+reason there can&#8217;t be much spying done in any country. Over here, for
+instance, for every German policeman in this country&mdash;for that&#8217;s all a
+spy can be&mdash;there are about a thousand British policemen. What chance
+has the spy? You don&#8217;t seriously believe in them, do you?&#8221; he added,
+smiling, as he offered me a Corona cigar.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; I said doubtfully. I didn&#8217;t want to argue with my good
+Samaritan. &#8220;There is no doubt a certain amount of spying done; but, of
+course, our policemen are hardly trained to cope with it. I daresay
+the whole business is very greatly exaggerated.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You bet it is, my boy,&#8221; he replied emphatically. &#8220;Going far?&#8221; he
+asked, suddenly changing the subject.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;North of Loch Hourn,&#8221; I answered.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh!&#8221; said Hilderman, with renewed interest. &#8220;Glenelg?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I take the boat to Glenelg and then drive back,&#8221; I explained. I was
+in a mood to tell him just where I was going, and why, and all about
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>myself; but I recollected, with an effort, that I was talking to a
+total stranger.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Drive back?&#8221; he repeated after me, with a sudden return to his dreamy
+manner. Then, just as suddenly, he woke up again. &#8220;Where are we now?&#8221;
+he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Passing over Morar bridge,&#8221; I explained.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Dear me&mdash;yes, of course!&#8221; he exclaimed, with a glance out of the
+window. &#8220;Well, I must pack up my wraps. Good-bye, Mr. Ewart; I&#8217;m so
+glad to have met you. Your country&#8217;s at war, and you look to me a very
+likely young man to do your best. Well, good-bye and good luck. I only
+wish I could join you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I wish you could,&#8221; I replied heartily. &#8220;I shall certainly do my best.
+And many thanks for your kind assistance.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>And so we parted, and returned to our respective compartments to put
+our things together; for our journey&mdash;the rail part of it, at any
+rate&mdash;was nearly over. And it was not until long afterwards that I
+realised that he had called me by my name, and I had never told him
+what it was.</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2>
+
+<h3>MAINLY ABOUT MYRA.</h3>
+
+<p>The train slowed down into Mallaig station. I thrilled with
+anticipation, for now I had only the journey on the boat, and Myra
+would be waiting for me at Glenelg. The train had hardly stopped when
+I seized my bag and jumped out on to the platform. The next instant I
+was nearly knocked back into the carriage again. A magnificent Great
+Dane had jumped at me with a deep bark of flattering welcome, and
+planted his paws on my shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Sholto, my dear old man!&#8221; I cried in excitement, dropping my bag and
+looking round expectantly. It was Myra&#8217;s dog, and there, sure enough,
+was a beautiful vision of brown eyes and brown-gold hair, in a
+heather-coloured Burberry costume, running down the platform to meet
+me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well&mdash;darling?&#8221; I said, as I met her half-way.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well?&#8221; she whispered, as she took my hand, and I looked into the
+depths of those wonderful eyes. Truly I was a lucky dog. The world was
+a most excellent place, full of delightful people; and even if I were
+an impecunious young barrister I was richer than Cr&oelig;sus in the
+possession of those beautiful brown eyes, which looked on <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>all the
+world with the gentle affection of a tender and indulgent sister, but
+which looked on me with&mdash;&mdash;Oh! hang it all!&mdash;a fellow can&#8217;t write
+about these sort of things when they affect him personally. Besides,
+they belong to me&mdash;thank God!</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I got your telegram, dear,&#8221; said Myra, as we strolled out of the
+station behind the porter who had appropriated my bag. Sholto brought
+up the rear. He had too great an opinion of his own position to be
+jealous of me&mdash;or at any rate he was too dignified to show it&mdash;and he
+had always admitted me into the inner circle of his friendship in a
+manner that was very charming, if not a little condescending.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Did you, darling?&#8221; I said, in reply to Myra&#8217;s remark.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes; it was delivered first thing this morning, and father was very
+pleased about it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Really!&#8221; I exclaimed. &#8220;I <i>am</i> glad. I was afraid he might be rather
+annoyed.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I was a little bit surprised myself,&#8221; she confessed,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> &#8220;though I&#8217;m sure
+I don&#8217;t know why I should be. Dad&#8217;s a perfect dear&mdash;he always was and
+he always will be. But he has been very determined about our
+engagement. When I told him you&#8217;d wired you were coming he was
+tremendously pleased. He kept on saying, &#8216;I&#8217;m glad; that&#8217;s good news,
+little woman, very good news. &#8217;Pon my soul I&#8217;m doocid glad!&#8217; He said
+you were a splendid fellow&mdash;I can&#8217;t think what made him imagine
+that&mdash;but he said it several times, so I suppose he had some reason
+for it. I was frightfully pleased. I like you to be a splendid fellow,
+Ron!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I was very glad to hear that the old General was really pleased to
+hear of my visit. I had intended to stay at the Glenelg Hotel, as I
+could hardly invite myself to Invermalluch Lodge, even though I had
+known the old man all my life. Accordingly I took it as a definite
+sign that his opposition was wearing down when Myra told me I was
+expected at the house.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And he said,&#8221; she continued, &#8220;that he never heard such ridiculous
+nonsense as your saying you were coming to the hotel, and that if you
+preferred a common inn to the house that had been good enough for him
+and his fathers before him, you could stop away altogether. So there!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good&mdash;that&#8217;s great!&#8221; I said enthusiastically. &#8220;But did you come over
+by the boat from Glenelg, or what?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No, dear; I came in the motor-boat, so we don&#8217;t need to hang about
+the pier here. We can either go straight home or wait a bit, whichever
+you like. I wanted to meet you, and I thought you&#8217;d rather come back
+with me in the motor-boat than jolt about in the stuffy old <i>Sheila</i>.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Rather, dear; I should say I would,&#8221; said I&mdash;and a lot more besides,
+which has nothing to do with the story. Suddenly Myra&#8217;s motherly
+instinct awoke.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Have you had breakfast?&#8221; she asked.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Yes, dear&mdash;at Crianlarich. The only decent meal to be got on a
+railway in this country is a Crianlarich breakfast.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, in that case you&#8217;re ready for lunch. It&#8217;s gone twelve. I could
+do with something myself, incidentally, and I want to talk to you
+before we start for home. Let&#8217;s have lunch here.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I readily agreed, and after calling Sholto, who was being conducted on
+a tour of inspection by the parson&#8217;s dog, we strolled up the hill to
+the hotel. As we entered the long dining-room we came upon Hilderman,
+seated at one of the tables with his back to us.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he was saying to the waiter, &#8220;I have been spending the week-end
+on the Clyde in a yacht. I joined the train at Ardlui this morning,
+and I can tell you&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I didn&#8217;t wait to hear any more. Rather by instinct than as a result of
+any definite train of thought, I led Myra quickly behind a Japanese
+screen to a small table by a side window. After all, it was no
+business of mine if Hilderman wished to say he had joined the train at
+Ardlui. He probably had his own reasons. Possibly Dennis was right,
+and the man was a detective. But I had seen him at King&#8217;s Cross and
+again at Edinburgh before we reached Ardlui, so I thought it might
+embarrass him if I walked in on the top of his assertion that he had
+just come from the Clyde. However, Myra was with me, which was much
+more important, and I dismissed <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>Hilderman and his little fib from my
+mind.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ronnie,&#8221; said Myra, in the middle of lunch, &#8220;you haven&#8217;t said
+anything about the war.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No, dear,&#8221; I answered clumsily. &#8220;It&mdash;&mdash;&#8221; It was an astonishingly
+difficult thing to say when it came to saying it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And yet that was what you came to see me about?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, darling. You see, I&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I know, dear. You&#8217;ve come to tell me that you&#8217;re going to enlist. I&#8217;m
+glad, Ronnie, very glad&mdash;and very, very proud.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Myra turned away and looked out of the window.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I hate people who talk a lot about their duty,&#8221; I said; &#8220;but it
+obviously is my duty, and I know that&#8217;s what you would want me to do.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course, dear, I wouldn&#8217;t have you do anything else.&#8221; And she
+turned and smiled at me, though there were tears in her dear eyes.
+&#8220;And I shall try to be brave, very brave, Ronnie. I&#8217;m getting a big
+girl now,&#8221; she added pluckily, attempting a little laugh. And though,
+of course, we afterwards discussed the regiment I was to join, and how
+the uniform would suit me, and how you kept your buttons clean, and a
+thousand other things, that was the last that was said about it from
+that point of view. There are some people who never need to say
+certain <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>things&mdash;or at any rate there are some things that never need
+be said between certain people.</p>
+
+<p>After lunch we strolled round the &#8220;fish-table,&#8221; a sort of subsidiary
+pier on which the fish are auctioned, and listened to the excited
+conversations of the fish-curers, gutters, and fishermen. It was a
+veritable babel&mdash;the mournful intonation of the East Coast, the broad
+guttural of the Broomielaw, mingled with the shrill Gaelic scream of
+the Highlands, and the occasional twang of the cockney tourist. Having
+retrieved Sholto, who was inspecting some fish which had been laid out
+to dry in the middle of the village street, and packed him safely in
+the bows, we set out to sea, Myra at the engine, while I took the
+tiller. As we glided out of the harbour I turned round, impelled by
+some unknown instinct. The parson&#8217;s dog was standing at the head of
+the main pier, seeing us safely off the premises, and beside him was
+the tall figure of my friend J. G. Hilderman. As I looked up at him I
+wondered if he recognised me; but it was evident he did, for he raised
+his cap and waved to me. I returned the compliment as well as I could,
+for just then Myra turned and implored me not to run into the
+lighthouse.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Someone you know?&#8221; she asked, as I righted our course.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Only a chap I met on the train,&#8221; I explained.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It looks like the tenant of Glasnabinnie, but I couldn&#8217;t be certain.
+I&#8217;ve never met him, and I&#8217;ve only seen him once.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Glasnabinnie!&#8221; I exclaimed, with a new interest. &#8220;Really! Why, that&#8217;s
+quite close to you, surely?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Just the other side of the loch, directly opposite us. A good swimmer
+could swim across, but a motor would take days to go round. So we&#8217;re
+really a long way off, and unless he turns up at some local function
+we&#8217;re not likely to meet him. He&#8217;s said to be an American millionaire;
+but then every American in these parts is supposed to have at least
+one million of money.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Do you know anything about him&mdash;what he does, or did?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Absolutely nothing,&#8221; she replied, &#8220;except, of course, the silly
+rumours that one always hears about strangers. He took Glasnabinnie in
+May&mdash;in fact, the last week of April, I believe. That rather surprised
+us, because it was very early for summer visitors. But he showed his
+good sense in doing so, as the country was looking gorgeous&mdash;Sgriol,
+na Ciche, and the Cuchulins under snow. I&#8217;ve heard (Angus McGeochan,
+one of our crofters, told me) he was an inventor, and had made a few
+odd millions out of a machine for sticking labels on canned meat. That
+and the fact that he is a very keen amateur photographer is the
+complete history of Mr. Hilderman so far as I know it. Anyway, he has
+a gorgeous view, hasn&#8217;t he? It&#8217;s nearly as good as ours.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He has indeed,&#8221; I agreed readily.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> &#8220;But I don&#8217;t think Hilderman can be
+very wealthy; no fishing goes with Glasnabinnie, there&#8217;s no yacht
+anchorage, and there&#8217;s no road to motor on. How does he get about?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s got a beautiful Wolseley launch,&#8221; said Myra jealously, &#8220;a
+perfect beauty. He calls her the <i>Baltimore II.</i> She was lying
+alongside the <i>Hermione</i> at Mallaig when we left. Oh! look up the
+loch, Ron! Isn&#8217;t it a wonderful view?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>And so the magnificent purple-gray summit of Sgor na Ciche, at the
+head of Loch Nevis, claimed our attention&mdash;(that and other matters of
+a personal nature)&mdash;and J. G. Hilderman went completely from our
+minds. Myra was a real Highlander of the West. She lived for its
+mountains and lochs, its rivers and burns, its magnificent coast and
+its fascinating animal life. She knew every little creek and inlet,
+every rock and shallow, every reef and current from Fort William to
+the Gair Loch. I have even heard it said that when she was twelve she
+could draw an accurate outline of Benbecula and North Uist, a feat
+that would be a great deal beyond the vast majority of grown-ups
+living on those islands themselves. As we turned to cross the head of
+Loch Hourn, Myra pointed out Glasnabinnie, nestling like a lump of
+grey lichen at the foot of the Croulin Burn. Anchored off the point
+was a small steam yacht, either a converted drifter or built on
+drifter lines.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Our friend has visitors,&#8221; said Myra,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> &#8220;and he&#8217;s not there to receive
+them. How very rude! That yacht is often there. She only makes about
+eight knots as a rule, although she gives you the impression she could
+do more. You see, she&#8217;s been built for strength and comfort more than
+for looks. She calls at Glasnabinnie in the afternoons sometimes, and
+is there after dark, and sails off before six.&#8221; (Myra was always out
+of doors before six in the morning, whatever the weather.) &#8220;From which
+I gather,&#8221; she continued, &#8220;that the owner lives some distance away and
+sleeps on board. She can&#8217;t be continuously cruising, or she would make
+a longer stay sometimes.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You seem to know the ways of yacht-owners, dear,&#8221; I said. &#8220;Hullo!
+what is that hut on the cliff above the falls? That&#8217;s new, surely.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! that beastly thing,&#8221; said Myra in disgust. &#8220;That&#8217;s his, too. A
+smoking-room and study, I believe. He had it built there because he
+has an uninterrupted view that sweeps the sea.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why &#8216;beastly thing&#8217;?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;It&#8217;s too far away to worry you,
+though it isn&#8217;t exactly pretty, and I know you hate to see anything in
+the shape of a new building going up.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! it annoys me,&#8221; she answered airily,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> &#8220;and somehow it gets on
+daddy&#8217;s nerves. You see, it has a funny sort of window which goes all
+round the top of the hut. This is evidently divided into several small
+windows, because they swing about in the wind, and when the sun shines
+on them they catch the eye even at our distance. And, as I say, they
+get on daddy&#8217;s nerves, which have not been too good the last week or
+two.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Never mind,&#8221; I consoled her; &#8220;he&#8217;ll be all right when his friends
+come up for the Twelfth. I think the doctors are wrong to say that he
+should never have a lot of people hanging round him, because there can
+surely be no harm in letting him see a few friends. I certainly think
+he&#8217;s right to make an exception for the grouse.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Grouse!&#8221; sniffed Myra. &#8220;They come for the Twelfth because they like
+to be seen travelling north on the eleventh! And I have to entertain
+them. And some of the ones who come for the first time tell me they
+suppose I know all the pretty walks round about! And in any case,&#8221; she
+finished, in high indignation, &#8220;can you imagine <i>me</i> entertaining
+anybody?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, my dear, I can,&#8221; I replied; and the &#8220;argument&#8221; kept us busy till
+we reached Invermalluch. The old General came down to the
+landing-stage to meet us, and was much more honestly pleased to see me
+than I had ever known him before.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah! Ronald, my boy!&#8221; he exclaimed heartily. &#8220;&#8217;Pon my soul, I&#8217;m glad
+to see you. It&#8217;s true, I suppose? You&#8217;ve heard the news?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The question amused me, because it was so typical of the old fellow.
+Here had I come from London, where the Cabinet was sitting night and
+day, to a spot miles from the railway terminus, to be asked if I had
+heard the news!</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;You mean the war, of course?&#8221; I replied.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes; it&#8217;s come, my boy, at last. Come to find me on the shelf! Ah,
+well! It had to come sooner or later, and now we&#8217;re not ready. Ah,
+well, we must all do what we can. Begad, I&#8217;m glad to see you, my boy,
+thundering glad. It&#8217;s a bit lonely here sometimes for the little
+woman, you know; but she never complains.&#8221; (In point of fact, she even
+contrived to laugh, and take her father&#8217;s arm affectionately in
+her&#8217;s.) &#8220;And besides, there are many things I want to have a talk with
+you about, Ronald&mdash;many things. By the way, had lunch?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We lunched at Mallaig, thank you, sir,&#8221; I explained.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, well, Myra will see you get all you want&mdash;won&#8217;t you, girlie?&#8221;
+he said.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I say, Ronnie,&#8221; Myra asked, as we reached the house, &#8220;are you very
+tired after your journey, or shall we have a cup of tea and then take
+our rods for an hour or so?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I stoutly declared I was not the least tired&mdash;as who could have been
+in the circumstances?&mdash;and I should enjoy an hour&#8217;s fishing with Myra
+immensely. So I ran upstairs and had a bath, and changed, and came
+down to find the General waiting for me. Myra had disappeared into the
+kitchen regions to give first-aid to a bare-legged crofter laddie who
+had cut his foot on a broken bottle.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, my boy,&#8221; said the old man, &#8220;you&#8217;ve come to tell us something.
+What is it?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Oh!&#8221; I replied, as lightly as I could, &#8220;it is simply that we are in
+for a row with Germany, and I&#8217;ve got a part in the play, so to speak.
+I&#8217;m enlisting.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good boy,&#8221; he chuckled, &#8220;good boy! Applying for a commission, I
+suppose&mdash;man of your class and education, and all that&mdash;eh?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, heavens, no!&#8221; I laughed. &#8220;I shall just walk on with the crowd, to
+continue the simile.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Glad to hear it, my boy&mdash;I am, indeed. &#8217;Pon my soul, you&#8217;re a good
+lad, you know&mdash;quite a good lad. Your father would have been proud of
+you. He was a splendid fellow&mdash;a thundering splendid fellow. We always
+used to say, &#8216;You can always trust Ewart to do the straight, clean
+thing; he&#8217;s a gentleman.&#8217; I hope your comrades will say the same of
+you, my boy.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By the way, sir,&#8221; I added, &#8220;I also intended to tell you that in the
+circumstances I&mdash;I&mdash;&mdash;Well, I mean to say that I shan&#8217;t&mdash;shan&#8217;t
+expect Myra to consider herself under&mdash;under any obligations to me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>However difficult it was for me to say it, I had been quite certain
+that the old General would think it was the right thing to say, and
+would be genuinely grateful to me for saying it off my own bat without
+any prompting from him. So I was quite unprepared for the outburst
+that followed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You silly young fellow!&#8221; he cried.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> &#8220;&#8217;Pon my soul, you are a silly
+young chap, you know. D&#8217;you mean to tell me you came here intending
+to tell my little girl to forget all about you just when you are
+going off to fight for your country, and may never come back? You mean
+to run away and leave her alone with an old crock of a father? You
+know, Ewart, you&mdash;you make me angry at times.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very sorry, sir,&#8221; I apologised, though I had no recollection of
+having made him angry before.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! I know,&#8221; he said, in a calmer tone. &#8220;Felt it was your duty, and
+all that&mdash;eh? I know. But, you see, it&#8217;s not your duty at all. No.
+Now, there are one or two things I want to tell you that you don&#8217;t
+know, and I&#8217;ll tell you one of &#8217;em now and the rest later. The first
+thing&mdash;in absolute confidence, of course&mdash;is that&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>But at this point Myra walked in, and the General broke off into an
+incoherent mutter. He was a poor diplomatist.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah! secrets? Naughty!&#8221; she exclaimed laughingly. &#8220;Are you ready,
+Ronnie?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s quite ready, my dear,&#8221; said the old man graciously. &#8220;I&#8217;ve said
+all I want to say to him for the time being. Run along with girlie,
+Ewart. You don&#8217;t want to mess about with an old crock.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Daddy,&#8221; said Myra reproachfully, &#8220;you&#8217;re not to call yourself names.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;All right, then; I won&#8217;t,&#8221; he laughed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> &#8220;You young people will excuse
+me, I&#8217;m sure. I should like to join you; but I have a lot of letters
+to write, and I daresay you&#8217;d rather be by yourselves. Eh?&mdash;you young
+dog!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>It was a polite fiction between father and daughter that when the old
+fellow felt too unwell to join her or his guests he &#8220;had a lot of
+letters to write.&#8221; And occasionally, when he was in the mood to
+overtax his strength, she would never refer to it directly, but often
+she would remark, &#8220;You know you&#8217;ll miss the post, daddy.&#8221; And they
+both understood. So we set out by ourselves, and I naturally preferred
+to be alone with Myra, much as I liked her father. We went out on to
+the verandah, and while I unpacked my kit Myra rewound her line, which
+had been drying on the pegs overnight.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Are you content with small mercies, Ron?&#8221; she asked, &#8220;or do you agree
+that it is better to try for a salmon than catch a trout?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It certainly isn&#8217;t better to-day, anyway,&#8221; I answered. &#8220;I want to be
+near you, darling. I don&#8217;t want the distance of the pools between us.
+We might walk up to the Dead Man&#8217;s Pool, and then fish up stream; and
+later fish the loch from the boat. That would bring us back in nice
+time for dinner.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! splendid!&#8221; she cried; and we fished out our fly-books. Her&#8217;s was
+a big book of tattered pig-skin, which reclined at the bottom of the
+capacious &#8220;poacher&#8217;s pocket&#8221; in her jacket. The fly-book was an old
+favourite&mdash;she wouldn&#8217;t have parted with it for worlds. Having
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>followed her advice, and changed the Orange I had tied for the &#8220;bob&#8221;
+to a Peacock Zulu, which I borrowed from her, we set out.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Just above the Dead Man&#8217;s Pool you get a beautiful view of
+Hilderman&#8217;s hideous hut,&#8221; Myra declared as we walked along. I may
+explain here that &#8220;Dead Man&#8217;s Pool&#8221; is an English translation of the
+Gaelic name, which I dare not inflict on the reader.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;See?&#8221; she cried, as we climbed the rock looking down on the gorgeous
+salmon pool, with its cool, inviting depths and its subtle promise of
+sport. &#8220;Oh! Ronnie, isn&#8217;t it wonderful?&#8221; she cried. &#8220;Almost every day
+of my life I have admired this view, and I love it more and more every
+time I see it. I sometimes think I&#8217;d rather give up my life than the
+simple power to gaze at the mountains and the sea.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why, look!&#8221; I exclaimed. &#8220;Is that the window you meant?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; Myra replied, with an air of annoyance, &#8220;that&#8217;s it. You can see
+that light when the sun shines on it, which is nearly all day, and it
+keeps on reminding us that we have a neighbour, although the loch is
+between us. Besides, for some extraordinary reason it gets on father&#8217;s
+nerves. Poor old daddy!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>It may seem strange to the reader that anyone should take notice of
+the sun&#8217;s reflection on a window two and a quarter miles away; but it
+must be remembered that all her life Myra had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>been accustomed to the
+undisputed possession of an unbroken view.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Anyhow,&#8221; she added, as she turned away, &#8220;we came here to fish. One of
+us must cross the stream here and fish that side. We can&#8217;t cross
+higher up, there&#8217;s too much water, and there&#8217;s no point in getting
+wet. I&#8217;ll go, and you fish this side; and when we reach the loch we&#8217;ll
+get into the boat. See, Sholto&#8217;s across already.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>And she tripped lightly from boulder to boulder across the top of the
+fall which steams into the Dead Man&#8217;s Pool, while I stood and admired
+her agile sureness of foot as one admires the graceful movements of a
+beautiful young roe. Sholto was pawing about in a tiny backwater, and
+trying to swallow the bubbles he made, until he saw his beloved
+mistress was intent on the serious business of fishing, and then he
+climbed lazily to the top of a rock, where he could keep a watchful
+eye on her, and sprawled himself out in the sun. I have fished better
+water than the Malluch river, certainly, and killed bigger fish in
+other lochs than the beautiful mountain tarn above Invermalluch Lodge;
+but I have never had a more enjoyable day&#8217;s sport than the least
+satisfying of my many days there.</p>
+
+<p>There was a delightful informality about the sport at the Lodge. One
+fished in all weathers because one wanted to fish, and varied one&#8217;s
+methods and destination according to the day. There was no sign of
+that hideous custom of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>doing the thing &#8220;properly&#8221; that the members of
+a stockbroker&#8217;s house-party seem to enjoy&mdash;no drawing lots for reaches
+or pools overnight, no roping-in a gillie to add to the chance of
+sending a basket &#8220;south.&#8221; When there was a superfluity of fish the
+crofters and tenants were supplied first, and then anything that was
+left over was sent to friends in London and elsewhere. At the end of
+the day&#8217;s sport we went home happy and pleased with ourselves, not in
+the least depressed if we had drawn a blank, to jolly and delightful
+meals, without any formality at all. And if we were wet, there was a
+great drying-room off the kitchen premises where our clothes were
+dried by a housemaid who really understood the business. As for our
+tackle, we dried our own lines and pegged them under the verandah, and
+rewound them again in the morning, made up our own casts, and
+generally did everything for ourselves without a retinue of
+attendants. And thereby we enjoyed ourselves hugely.</p>
+
+<p>Angus and Sandy, the two handy-men of the place, would carry the
+lunch-basket or pull the boats on the loch or stand by with the gaff
+or net&mdash;and what experts they are!&mdash;but the rest we did for ourselves.
+By the time I had got a pipe on and wetted my line, Myra was some
+fifty yards or so up stream making for a spot where she suspected
+something. She has the unerring instinct of the inveterate poacher! I
+cast idly once or twice, content to revel in the delight of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>holding a
+rod in my hand once more, intoxicated with the air and the scenery and
+the sunshine (What a good thing the fish in the west &#8220;like it
+bright!&#8221;), and after a few minutes a sudden jerk on my line brought me
+back to earth. I missed him, but he thrilled me to the serious
+business of the thing, and I fished on, intent on every cast.</p>
+
+<p>I suppose I must have fished for about twenty minutes, but of that I
+have never been able to say definitely. It may possibly have been
+more. I only know that as I was picking my way over some boulders to
+enable me to cast more accurately for a big one I had risen, I heard
+Myra give a sharp, short cry. I turned anxiously and called to her.</p>
+
+<p>I could not distinguish her at first among the great gray rocks in the
+river. Surely she could not have fallen in. Even had she done so, I
+hardly think she would have called out. She was extraordinarily sure
+on her feet, and, in any case, she was an expert swimmer. What could
+it be? Immediately following her cry came Sholto&#8217;s deep bay, and then
+I saw her. She was standing on a tall, white, lozenge-shaped rock,
+that looked almost as if it had been carefully shaped in concrete. She
+was kneeling, and her arm was across her face. With a cry I dashed
+into the river, and floundered across, sometimes almost up to my neck,
+and ran stumbling to her in a blind agony of fear. Even <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>as I ran her
+rod was carried past me, and disappeared over the fall below.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Myra, my darling,&#8221; I cried as I reached her, and took her in my arms,
+&#8220;what is it, dearest? For God&#8217;s sake tell me&mdash;what is it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, Ronnie, dear,&#8221; she said, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know, darling. I don&#8217;t
+understand.&#8221; Her voice broke as she lifted her beautiful face to me. I
+looked into those wonderful eyes, and they gazed back at me with a
+dull, meaningless stare. She stretched out her arm to grasp my hand,
+and her own hand clutched aimlessly on my collar.</p>
+
+<p>In a flash I realised the hideous truth.</p>
+
+<p>Myra was blind!</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE BLACK BLOW.</h3>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, Ronnie, darling,&#8221; Myra asked, in a pitiful voice that went to my
+heart. &#8220;What can it mean? I&mdash;I&mdash;I can&#8217;t see&mdash;anything at all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the sun, darling; it will be all right in a minute or two.
+There, lie in my arms, dear, and close your poor eyes. It will be all
+right soon, dearest.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I tried to comfort her, to assure her that it was just the glare on
+the water, that she would be able to see again in a moment, but I felt
+the pitiful inadequacy of my empty words, and it seemed that the light
+had gone out of my life. I pray that I may never again witness such a
+harrowing sight as that of Myra, leaning her beautiful head on my
+shoulder, suddenly stricken blind, doing her best to pacify her dog,
+who was heart-broken in the instinctive knowledge of a new, swift
+grief which he could not understand.</p>
+
+<p>I must ask the reader to spare me from describing in detail the
+terrible agony of the next few days, when the hideous tragedy of
+Myra&#8217;s blindness overcame us all in its naked freshness. I cannot
+bring myself to speak of it even yet. I would at any time give my life
+to save Myra&#8217;s sight, her most priceless possession. I make this as a
+simple statement of fact, and in no <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>spirit of romantic arrogance, and
+I think I would rather die than live again the gnawing agony of those
+days.</p>
+
+<p>I took Myra in my arms, and carried her back to the house. Poor child;
+she realised almost immediately that I was as dumbfounded as she was
+herself at the terrible blow which had befallen her, and that I had no
+faith in my empty assurances that it would soon be all right again,
+and she would be able to see as well as ever in an hour or two, at
+most. So she at once began to comfort me! I marvelled at her bravery,
+but she made me more miserable than ever. I felt that she might have a
+sort of premonition that she would never see again. As we crossed the
+stream above the fall I saw again the reflected light from Hilderman&#8217;s
+window, and a pang shot through me as I remembered her words on that
+very spot&mdash;that she would rather die than be unable to see her beloved
+mountains.</p>
+
+<p>I clutched her in my arms, and held her closer to me in dumb despair.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Am I very heavy, Ron, dear?&#8221; she asked presently. &#8220;If you give me
+your hand, dear, I could walk. I think I could even manage without it;
+but, of course, I should prefer to have your hand at any time.&#8221; She
+gave a natural little laugh, which almost deceived me, and again I
+marvelled at her pluck. I had known Myra since she was four, and I
+might have expected that she would meet her tragic misfortune with a
+smile.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re as light as a feather, dearest,&#8221; I protested, &#8220;and, as far as
+that goes, I&#8217;d rather carry you at any time.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m glad you were here when it happened, dear,&#8221; she whispered.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Tell me, darling, how did it happen?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;I mean, what did it
+seem like? Did things gradually grow duller and duller, or what?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; she answered; &#8220;that was the extraordinary part of it. Quite
+suddenly I saw everything green for a second, and then everything went
+out in a green flash. It was a wonderful, liquid green, like the sea
+over a sand-bank. It was just a long flash, very quick and sharp, and
+then I found I could see nothing at all. Everything is black now, the
+black of an intense green. I thought I&#8217;d been struck by lightning.
+Wasn&#8217;t it silly of me?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My poor, brave little woman,&#8221; I murmured. &#8220;Tell me, where were you
+then?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Just where you found me, on the Chemist&#8217;s Rock. I call it the
+Chemist&#8217;s Rock because it&#8217;s shaped like a cough-lozenge. I was casting
+from there; it makes a beautiful fishing-table. I looked up, and
+then&mdash;well, then it happened.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re just coming to the house,&#8221; said Myra suddenly. &#8220;We&#8217;re just
+going to turn on to the stable-path.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Darling!&#8221; I cried, nearly dropping her in my excitement; &#8220;you can see
+already?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, Ronnie, I&#8217;m so sorry,&#8221; she said penitently.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> &#8220;I only knew by the
+smell of the peat stacks.&#8221; I could not restrain a groan of
+disappointment, and Myra stroked my face, and murmured again, &#8220;I&#8217;m
+sorry, dearest.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Will you please put me down now?&#8221; she asked. &#8220;If daddy saw you
+carrying me to the house he&#8217;d have a fit, and the servants would go
+into hysterics.&#8221; So I put her tenderly on her feet, and she took my
+arm, and we walked slowly to the house. She could see nothing, not
+even in the hazy confusion of the nearly blind; yet she walked to the
+house with as firm a step and as natural an air as if she had nothing
+whatever the matter with her.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You had better leave dad to me, Ron,&#8221; she suggested. &#8220;We understand
+each other, and I can explain to him. You would find it difficult, and
+it would be painful for you both. Just tell him that I&#8217;m not feeling
+very well, and he&#8217;ll come straight to me. Don&#8217;t tell him I want to see
+him. Give me your arm to my den, dear.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I led her to her &#8220;den,&#8221; a little room opening on to the verandah.
+There was a writing-table in the window covered with correspondence in
+neat little piles, for Myra was on all the charity committees in the
+county, and the rest of the room was given up to a profusion of
+fishing tackle, shooting gear, and books. Sholto followed us, every
+now and then rubbing his great head against her skirt. I left her
+there, and turned into the hall, where I met the General. He had heard
+us return.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re back early, my boy,&#8221; he remarked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I said, taking out my cigarette-case to give myself an air of
+assurance which was utterly unknown to me. &#8220;Myra is not feeling very
+well. She&#8217;s resting for a bit.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not well?&#8221; he exclaimed, in surprise. &#8220;Very unusual, very unusual
+indeed.&#8221; And he turned straight into Myra&#8217;s room without waiting for
+an answer to his quiet tap on the door. With a heavy heart I went
+upstairs to the old schoolroom, now given over to Mary McNiven, Myra&#8217;s
+old nurse.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Master Ronald! I <i>am</i> glad,&#8221; she cried, when I accepted her
+invitation to &#8220;come in.&#8221; Mary had boxed my ears many times in my
+boyhood, and the fact that we were old friends made it difficult for
+me to tell her my terrible news. I broke it as gently as I could, and
+warned her not to alarm the servants, and very soon she wiped away her
+tears and went downstairs to see what she could do. I went out into
+the fresh air for a moment to pull myself together, marvelling at the
+unreasoning cruelty of fate. I turned into the hall, and met the
+General coming out of Myra&#8217;s room. He was talking to Mary and one of
+the housemaids.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;These things often occur,&#8221; he was explaining in a very matter-of-fact
+voice.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> &#8220;They are unusual, though not unheard-of, and very distressing
+at the time. But I am confident that Miss Myra will be quite herself
+again in a day or two. Meanwhile, she had better go to bed and rest,
+and take care of herself while Angus fetches Doctor Whitehouse. No
+doubt he will give her some lotion to wash her eyes with, and it will
+be only a day or two before we see Miss Myra about again as usual. You
+must see that she has no light near her, and that she rests her eyes
+in every possible way. There is nothing whatever for you girls to get
+anxious or frightened about. I have seen this sort of thing before,
+though usually in the East.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The old man dismissed the maids, and went into the drawing-room, while
+I spent a few moments with Myra. I was delighted to see the General
+taking it so well, as I had even been afraid of his total collapse, so
+I took what comfort I could from his ready assurance that he was quite
+accustomed to that sort of thing. But when, some twenty minutes later,
+I went to look for him in the drawing-room, and found him prostrate on
+the sofa, his head buried in his arms, I realised whence Myra had
+derived her pluck. He looked up as he heard the door open, and tears
+were streaming down his rugged old face.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Never mind me, Ronald,&#8221; he said brokenly. &#8220;Never mind me. I shall be
+all right in a minute. I&mdash;I didn&#8217;t expect this, but I shall be all
+right in a minute.&#8221; I closed the door softly and left him alone.</p>
+
+<p>I found Angus had harnessed the pony, and was just about to start for
+Glenelg to fetch Doctor Whitehouse. So I told him to tell the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>General
+that I should be better able to explain to the doctor what had
+happened, and, glad of the diversion, I drove in for him myself. But
+when he arrived he made a long and searching examination, patted
+Myra&#8217;s head, and told her the nerve had been strained by the glare on
+the water, and rest was all that was needed; and, as soon as he got
+outside her door, he sighed and shook his head. In the library he made
+no bones about it, and her father and I were both grateful to him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not a bit of use my saying I know when I don&#8217;t,&#8221; the doctor
+declared emphatically.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> &#8220;I&#8217;m puzzled&mdash;indeed, I&#8217;m absolutely beaten.
+This is a thing I&#8217;ve not only never come across before, but I&#8217;ve never
+even read about it. This green flash, the suddenness of it, the
+absence of pain&mdash;she says she feels perfectly well. She could see
+wonderfully well up to the second it happened; no warning headaches,
+and nothing whatever to account for it. I have known a sudden shock to
+the system produce instantaneous blindness, such as a man in a very
+heated state diving into ice-cold water. But in this case there is
+nothing to go by. I can only do her harm by pretending to know what I
+don&#8217;t know, and you know as much as I do. She must see a specialist,
+and the sooner the better. I would recommend Sir Gaire Olvery; that
+would mean taking her up to London. Mr. Herbert Garnesk is the second
+greatest oculist in the country; but undoubtedly Sir Gaire is first.
+Meanwhile I will give her a little nerve tonic; it will do her no
+harm, and will give her reason to think that we know how to treat her,
+so that it may do her good. She must wear the shade I brought her, and
+take care her eyes are never exposed to the light.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The fact that you yourself can make nothing of it is for us or
+against us?&#8221; asked the General, in an anxious voice.</p>
+
+<p>He was looking haggard and tired out.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;In what way?&#8221; queried the doctor.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I mean that if she had&mdash;er&mdash;totally lost her&mdash;the use of her
+eyes&mdash;for all time, could you be certain of that or not? Or can you
+give us any reason to hope that the very fact of your not
+understanding the nature of the case points to her getting over it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah,&#8221; said the doctor, &#8220;I&#8217;m not going to be so unfair to you as to say
+that. I will say emphatically that she has not absolutely hopelessly
+lost her sight. The nerves are not dead. This green veil may be
+lifted, possibly, as suddenly as it fell; but I am talking to men, and
+I want you to understand that I can give no idea as to when that may
+be. I pray that it may be soon&mdash;very soon.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m glad you&#8217;re so straightforward about it, Whitehouse,&#8221; said the
+old man, as he sank into a chair. &#8220;I don&#8217;t need to be buoyed up by any
+false hopes. You can understand that it is a very terrible blow to Mr.
+Ewart and myself.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can indeed,&#8221; said the doctor solemnly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> &#8220;I brought her into the
+world, you know. It is a tragic shock to me. I&#8217;ll get back now, if
+you&#8217;ll excuse me. I have a very serious case in the village, but I&#8217;ll
+be over first thing in the morning, and I&#8217;ll bring you a small bottle
+of something with me. You&#8217;ll need it with this anxiety.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Nonsense, Whitehouse,&#8221; declared the General stoutly. &#8220;I&#8217;m perfectly
+all right. There&#8217;s nothing at all the matter with me. I don&#8217;t need any
+of your begad slush.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now, my dear friend,&#8221; said the medical man cunningly, &#8220;it&#8217;s my
+business to look ahead. In the next few days you&#8217;ll be too anxious to
+eat, so I&#8217;m going to bring you something that will simply stimulate
+your appetite and make you want to eat. It&#8217;s not good for any man to
+go without his meals, especially when that man&#8217;s getting on for
+sixty.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank ye, my dear fellow,&#8221; said the old man, more graciously. &#8220;I&#8217;m
+sorry to be such a boor, but I thought you meant some begad tonic.&#8221;
+The General was getting on for seventy; to be exact, he was
+sixty-nine&mdash;he married at forty-six&mdash;and when the medicine came he
+took it, &#8220;because, after all, it was begad decent of Whitehouse to
+have thought of it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I spent a miserable night. I went to bed early, and lay awake till
+daybreak. The hideous nightmare of the green ray kept me awake for
+many nights to come. The General agreed with me that we must waste no
+time, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>it was arranged that we should take Myra up to London the
+next day.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You know, Ronald,&#8221; said the old man to me as we sat together after
+the mockery that would otherwise have been an excellent dinner, &#8220;I was
+particularly glad to see you to-day. I&#8217;ve been very worried
+about&mdash;well, about myself lately. I had an extraordinary experience
+the other day which I should never dare to relate to anyone whom I
+could not absolutely rely on to believe me. I&#8217;ve been fidgeting for
+the last month or two, and that window that you say you saw to-day has
+got very much on my nerves. I&#8217;ve been imagining that it&#8217;s a heliograph
+from an enemy encampment. Simply nerves, of course; but nerves ought
+not to account for extraordinary optical delusions or hallucinations.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hallucinations?&#8221; I asked anxiously. &#8220;What sort of hallucinations?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I hardly like to tell you, my boy,&#8221; he answered, nervously twirling
+his liqueur glass in his fingers. &#8220;You see, you&#8217;re young, and
+I&#8217;m&mdash;well, to tell you the truth, I&#8217;m getting old, and when you get
+old you get nerves, and they can be terrible things, nerves.&#8221; I looked
+up at the haggard face, drawn into deep furrows with the new trouble
+that had fallen on the old man, and I was shocked and startled to see
+a look of absolute fear in his eyes. I leaned forward, and laid my
+hand on his wrist.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Tell me,&#8221; I suggested, as gently as I could. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>He brightened at once,
+and patted my arm affectionately.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I couldn&#8217;t tell the little woman,&#8221; he muttered. &#8220;She&mdash;she&#8217;d have been
+frightened, and she might have thought I was going mad. I couldn&#8217;t
+bear that. I hadn&#8217;t the courage to tell Whitehouse either; but you&#8217;re
+a good chap, Ronald, and you&#8217;re very fond of my girlie, and your
+father and I were pals, as you boys would say. I daresay it was only a
+sort of waking dream, or&mdash;&mdash;&#8221; He broke off and stared at the
+table-cloth. I took the glass from his hand, and filled it with
+liqueur brandy, and put it beside him. He sipped it thoughtfully.
+Suddenly he turned to me, and brought his hand down on the table with
+a bang.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I swear I&#8217;m not mad, Ronald!&#8221; he cried fiercely. &#8220;There must be some
+explanation of it. I know I&#8217;m sane.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What was it exactly?&#8221; I asked quietly. &#8220;Nothing on God&#8217;s earth will
+persuade me that you are mad, sir.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank you, my boy. I&#8217;ll tell you what happened to me. You won&#8217;t be
+able to explain it, but you shall hear just what it was. You may think
+it&#8217;s silly of me to get nervous of what sounds like an absurdity, but
+you see it happened where&mdash;where to-day&#8217;s tragedy happened.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What Myra calls the Chemist&#8217;s Rock?&#8221; I asked, by this time intensely
+interested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;At the Chemist&#8217;s Rock,&#8221; he replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> &#8220;It was a lovely afternoon, just
+such an afternoon as to-day. I had been going to fish with girlie, but
+I was a little tired, and&mdash;er&mdash;I had some letters to write, so I said
+I would meet her later in the afternoon. It was agreed we should meet
+at the Chemist&#8217;s Rock at half-past four. I left the house about a
+quarter-past, and strolled down the river to the Fank Pool, crossed
+the stream in the boat that lies there, and walked up the opposite
+bank past Dead Man&#8217;s Pool towards the Chemist&#8217;s Rock. I mention all
+this to show you that I was feeling well enough to enjoy a stroll, and
+a very rocky stroll at that, because, if I hadn&#8217;t been feeling
+perfectly fit, I should have gone up the back way past the stable, the
+way you came back this afternoon. So you see, I was undoubtedly quite
+well, my boy. However, to get on with the tale. As soon as I came in
+sight of our meeting-place I looked up to see if girlie had got there
+before me. She was not there. I looked further up stream, and saw
+Sholto come tearing down over the rocks. I knew that he had seen me,
+and that she was following him. I naturally strolled on to go to the
+rock&mdash;I say I went&mdash;&mdash;&#8221; He broke off, and passed his hands across his
+eyes.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I said softly; &#8220;you went to the rock, and Myra met you&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; he said; &#8220;I didn&#8217;t. I didn&#8217;t go to the rock.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But I don&#8217;t understand,&#8221; I said, as he remained silent for some
+moments. The old <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>man leaned forward, and laid a trembling,
+fever-scorched hand on mine.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ronald,&#8221; he said, in a voice that shook with genuine horror, and sent
+a cold shiver down my spine, &#8220;I did not go to the rock. <i>The rock came
+to me.</i>&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2>
+
+<h3>IS MORE MYSTERIOUS.</h3>
+
+<p>I sat and stared at the old man in astonishment. Obviously he was
+fully convinced that he was giving me an accurate account of what had
+happened, and equally obviously he was perfectly sane.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That is all,&#8221; he said presently. &#8220;The rock came to me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good heavens!&#8221; I exclaimed, suddenly brought to my senses by the
+sound of his voice. &#8220;What an extraordinary thing!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;For a moment I thought I was mad, and sometimes, when I have thought
+over it since&mdash;and the Lord knows how many times I&#8217;ve done that&mdash;I&#8217;ve
+come to the conclusion that I must have fallen asleep. But even now
+the fear haunts me that my mind may be going.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You mustn&#8217;t imagine anything like that, General,&#8221; I advised
+seriously.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> &#8220;Whatever you do, don&#8217;t encourage any doubts of your own
+sanity. There must be some explanation of this, although I can&#8217;t for
+the moment imagine what it can possibly be. It is a remarkable thing,
+and I fancy you will find, when we do know the explanation, that
+anyone else standing where you were at that time would have seen
+exactly the same thing. The rock stands out of the water; it is just
+above a deep pool, and probably it was a sort of mirage effect, and
+not by any means a figment of your brain.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>To my surprise the old man leaned back in his chair and burst out
+laughing.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course,&#8221; he exclaimed. &#8220;I never thought of that&mdash;a sort of mirage.
+Well, I&#8217;m begad thankful you suggested that, Ronald. I&#8217;ve no doubt
+that it was something of the sort. What a begad old fool I am. Let us
+pray that our poor little girl&#8217;s trouble,&#8221; he added solemnly, &#8220;will
+have some equally simple solution.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The General was so relieved that I had given him, at any rate, some
+sort of reason to believe that his brain was not yet going, that he
+began to declare that he was convinced Myra would be better in a day
+or two. So we arranged that I should take her up to London the next
+day, and leave her in charge of her aunt, Lady Ruslit, and then, as
+soon as we had heard Sir Gaire&#8217;s verdict, I was to bring her back
+again. General McLeod had been anxious at first to come with us, but I
+pointed out that he would be of more use to Myra if he stayed behind,
+and kept an eye on her interests in the neighbourhood. I promised to
+wire him the result of the interview with Olvery as soon as I knew it.
+And just about a quarter to ten we went to bed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ronald,&#8221; said the old man, as we shook hands outside my door,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>
+&#8220;there&#8217;s just one thing I wasn&#8217;t frank with you about in the matter of
+the Chemist&#8217;s Rock. I am anxious to believe that it&#8217;s a point of no
+particular importance. You know the rock is a sort of sandstone, not
+grey like the rest, but nearly white?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I answered, wondering what could be coming next.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; said the old man, &#8220;that day when I saw it appearing to come
+towards me it was not white, but green.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I said at last, when we had spent another twenty minutes
+discussing this new aspect in my room. &#8220;It&#8217;s beyond me. I can&#8217;t see
+how the two events can be connected, and yet they are so unusual that
+one would think they must be. I certainly think it is a point to put
+in detail before Olvery.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;On the whole, I quite agree with you,&#8221; said the General. &#8220;I am rather
+afraid he may take us for a pack of lunatics, and refuse to be
+bothered with the case.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m sure he won&#8217;t do that,&#8221; I asserted confidently. &#8220;And he may have
+some medical knowledge that will just shake the puzzle into place, and
+explain the whole mystery to us. It seems to me a most remarkable
+thing that these two strange affairs should have happened in exactly
+the same place. That it is some strange freak of nature I have no
+doubt, but I am absolutely at a loss to think what it can be.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>It can hardly be wondered at that, as I have said before, sleep and I
+were strangers that <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>night, and I was glad enough when the time came
+for me to get up.</p>
+
+<p>Myra came down after breakfast, wonderfully brave and bright, but
+there was no sign whatever of her sight returning to her. The
+leave-taking was a wretched business, and I cannot dwell on it. Sandy
+started early to sail to Mallaig with the luggage, and we followed in
+the motor-boat, Angus at the engine, old Mary McNiven in the bows,
+while I took the tiller, and Myra lay on a pile of cushions at my
+feet, her head resting on my knee, her arm round Sholto&#8217;s neck; for
+she had wanted the dog to see her off at the station. The old General
+managed to keep up a cheery manner as he said good-bye at the
+landing-stage, but he was looking so care-worn and haggard that I was
+glad that he had been persuaded not to come up to London with us. He
+was certainly not in a fit state for the fatigues of a long journey.
+As we passed Glasnabinnie the <i>Baltimore</i> slid out from the side of
+the shed that stood on the edge of the miniature harbour which Nature
+had thoughtfully bestowed on the place.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can hear a motor-boat,&#8221; said Myra, suddenly sitting up.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;It&#8217;s Hilderman&#8217;s.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Is she ahead of us?&#8221; she asked.</p>
+
+<p>I looked round, and saw that the <i>Baltimore</i> was putting out to round
+the point.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No, she&#8217;s about level,&#8221; I answered.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> &#8220;She&#8217;s evidently making for
+Mallaig. We are, if anything, a little ahead, but they will soon pass
+us, I should think.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, Ron,&#8221; cried Myra, with childish excitement, &#8220;don&#8217;t let them beat
+us. Angus, put some life into her. We <i>must</i> make the harbour first.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Angus did his best, and I set her course as near in shore as I dared
+on that treacherous coast. The <i>Baltimore</i> glided out to sea with the
+easy grace of a powerful and beautiful animal, and as we passed the
+jagged promontory she was coming up about thirty yards behind us.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Challenge him, Ron,&#8221; Myra exclaimed; &#8220;you&#8217;ve met him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I turned, and saw Hilderman and two other men in the boat, one a
+friend apparently, and the other the mechanic. I stood up and waved to
+him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll race you to Mallaig,&#8221; I shouted.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a bet,&#8221; he agreed readily, at the top of his voice, waving back.</p>
+
+<p>It was a ding-dong business across the mouth of Nevis, and the
+<i>Baltimore</i> was leading, if anything, but we had not far to go, and
+our opponents had taken a course a good deal farther out to sea than
+we were. Coming up by the lighthouse, however, the <i>Baltimore</i> drew in
+at a magnificent pace, and swept in to pass inside the lighthouse
+rock. Hilderman, who was quite distinct at the short distance, stood
+up in the stern of the <i>Baltimore</i>, and looked at us. We were making
+good time, but we had no chance of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>outdistancing his powerful boat.
+But, as he looked at us, and was evidently about to shout some
+triumphant greeting, I saw him catch sight of Myra, lying at my feet,
+her face hidden in the shade over her eyes. Suddenly, without the
+slightest warning, he swung the tiller, and, turning out again, took
+the long course round the lighthouse, and we slid alongside the
+fish-table a good minute ahead of him. Myra was delighted; she had no
+suspicion that we had virtually lost the race, and the trifling
+excitement gave her a real pleasure. Angus, I could see, was puzzled,
+but I signed to him to say nothing. My heart warmed to Hilderman; he
+had seen that Myra was not well, and, divining that it would give her
+some pleasure to win the race, he had tactfully given way to us. I was
+really grateful to him for his kindly thought, and determined to thank
+him as soon as I could. We had nearly half an hour to wait for the
+mid-day train, and, after seeing Myra and Mary safely ensconced in the
+Marine Hotel, I went out with Sholto to get the tickets, telegraph to
+Dennis, and express my gratitude to Hilderman. But when I stepped out
+of the hotel he was standing in the road waiting for me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good morning, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he said, coming forward to offer me his
+hand. &#8220;Is there anything the matter with Miss McLeod?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;She&#8217;s not very well,&#8221; I replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> &#8220;She has something the matter with
+her eyes. It was very good of you to let us win our little race. Every
+little pleasure that we can give Miss McLeod just at this time is of
+great value to us.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Eyes?&#8221; said Hilderman, thoughtfully, with the same dreamy expression
+that Dennis had pointed out at King&#8217;s Cross. &#8220;What sort of thing is
+it? I know something about eyes.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m afraid I can tell you nothing,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;She has suddenly lost
+her sight in the most amazing and terrible manner. We are just taking
+her up to London to see a specialist.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Had she any pain?&#8221; he asked, &#8220;or any dizziness or fainting, or
+anything like that?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I said; &#8220;there is absolutely nothing to go by. It is a most
+extraordinary affair, and a very terrible blow to us all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It must be,&#8221; he said gently, &#8220;very, very terrible. I have heard so
+much about Miss McLeod that I even feel it myself. I am deeply grieved
+to hear this, deeply grieved.&#8221; He spoke very sympathetically, and I
+felt that it was very kind of him to take such a friendly interest in
+his unknown neighbour.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I think you&#8217;d better join me in a brandy and soda, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he
+said, laying a hand on my arm. &#8220;I don&#8217;t suppose you know it, but you
+look ten years older than you did yesterday.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Yesterday! Good heavens! Had all this happened in a day? I was
+certainly feeling far from myself, and I accepted his invitation
+readily enough. We turned into the refreshment-room outside the
+station, and I had a stiff whisky and soda, realising how far away
+from <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>London I was when the man gave me the whisky in one glass and
+the soda in another.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Tell me,&#8221; said Hilderman, &#8220;if it is not very rude of me to ask, or
+too painful for you to speak about, what was Miss McLeod doing when
+this happened? Reading, or what?&#8221; I gave him a rough outline of the
+circumstances, but, in view of what the General had told me the night
+before, I said nothing about the mystery of the green ray. We wanted
+to retain our reputation for sanity as long as we could, and no
+outsider who did not know the General personally would believe that
+his astonishing experience was anything other than the strange
+creation of a nerve-wrought brain.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And that was all?&#8221; he asked thoughtfully.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, that was all,&#8221; I replied.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I suppose you haven&#8217;t decided what specialist you will take her to
+when you get her to London?&#8221; he queried. I was about to reply when I
+heard Sholto in a heated argument with some other dog, and I bolted
+out, with a hurried excuse, to bring him in. As I returned, with my
+hand on his collar, the harbour-master greeted me, and told me we
+might have some difficulty in reaching London, as the train service
+was likely to be disorganised owing to the transport of troops and
+munitions. When I rejoined Hilderman I was full of this new
+development. It would be both awkward and unpleasant to be turned out
+of the train before <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>we reached London; and every moment&#8217;s delay might
+mean injury to my poor Myra.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think you need worry at all, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; my new friend
+assured me. &#8220;The trains will run all right. They may alter the
+services where they have too many trains, but here they are not likely
+to do so. Thank heaven, I shall not be travelling again for some time.
+I hate it, although I have to run about a good deal. I have a few
+modest investments that take up a considerable portion of my time. I
+figure on one or two boards, you know.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I thanked him for his kindly interest, and left him. I wired to Dennis
+not to meet the train, but to be prepared to put me up the following
+night. Then I got the tickets, and took Myra to the train. Hilderman
+was seeing his friend off; a short, somewhat stout man, with flaxen
+hair, and small blue eyes peering through a pair of large spectacles.
+He bowed to us as we passed, and I was struck by the kindly sympathy
+with which both he and his companion glanced at Myra. Evidently they
+both realised what a terrible blow to her the loss of her sight must
+be. I will admit that, when it came to the time for the train to
+start, my heart nearly failed me altogether. The sight of the
+beautiful blind girl saying good-bye to her dog was one which I hope I
+may never see again. As the train steamed out into the cutting Sholto
+was left whining on the platform, and it was as much as Angus could do
+to hold him back. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>Poor Sholto; he was a faithful beast, and they were
+taking his beloved mistress away from him. Myra sat back in the
+carriage, and furtively wiped away a tear from her poor sightless
+eyes.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Poor old fellow,&#8221; she said, with a brave smile. &#8220;If they can&#8217;t do
+anything for me in London he will have to lead me about. It&#8217;ll keep
+him out of mischief.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t say that, darling!&#8221; I groaned.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Poor old Ron,&#8221; she said tenderly. &#8220;I believe it&#8217;s worse for you than
+it is for me. And now that Mary has left us for a bit I want to say
+something to you, dear, while I can. You mustn&#8217;t think I don&#8217;t
+understand what this will mean to you, dear. I want you to know,
+darling, that I hope always to be your very great friend, but I don&#8217;t
+expect you to marry a blind girl.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I shall certainly not tell the reader what I said in reply to that
+generous and noble statement.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Besides, dear,&#8221; I concluded eventually, &#8220;you will soon be able to see
+again.&#8221; And so I tried to assure her, till presently Mary returned.
+And then we made her comfortable, and I read to her in the darkened
+carriage until at last my poor darling fell into a gentle sleep.</p>
+
+<p>But twenty-six hours later, when I had seen Myra safely back to her
+aunt&#8217;s house from Harley Street, I staggered up the stairs to Dennis&#8217;s
+rooms in Panton Street a broken man.</p>
+
+<p>Dennis opened the door to me himself.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Ronald!&#8221; he cried, &#8220;what has happened?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hello, old man,&#8221; I said weakly; &#8220;I&#8217;m very, very tired.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>My friend took my arm and led me into his sitting-room, and pressed me
+gently on the sofa. Then he brought me a stiff brandy and soda, and
+sat beside me in silence for a few minutes.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Feel better, old boy?&#8221; he asked presently.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, thanks, Den,&#8221; I answered. &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry to be such a nuisance.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Tell me,&#8221; he said, &#8220;when you feel well enough.&#8221; But I lay, and closed
+my eyes, for I was dog-tired, and could not bring myself to speak even
+to Dennis of the specialist&#8217;s terrible verdict. And soon Nature
+asserted herself, and I fell into a deep sleep, which was the best
+thing I could have done. When I awoke I was lying in bed, in total
+darkness, in Dennis&#8217;s extra room. I sat up, and called out in my
+surprise, for I had been many miles away in my slumbers, and my first
+hope was that the whole adventure had been a hideous nightmare. But
+Dennis, hearing my shout, walked in to see if I wanted anything.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now, how do you feel?&#8221; he asked, as he sat on the side of the bed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Did you carry me in here and put me to bed?&#8221; I asked idly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You certainly didn&#8217;t look like walking, and I thought you&#8217;d be more
+comfortable in here,&#8221; he laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Great Scott, man!&#8221; I cried, suddenly <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>remembering his heart trouble,
+&#8220;you shouldn&#8217;t have done that, Dennis. You promised me you&#8217;d take no
+risks.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Heavens! that was nothing,&#8221; he declared emphatically. &#8220;You&#8217;re as
+light as a feather. There was no risk in that.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Indeed, as events were to prove, it was only the first of many, but
+being ignorant of that at the time, I contented myself with pointing
+out that very few feathers turned the scale at twelve-stone-three.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now look here, old son,&#8221; said Dennis, in an authoritative voice. &#8220;You
+mustn&#8217;t imagine I&#8217;m dealing with your trouble, whatever it is (for you
+<i>are</i> in trouble, Ronald), in a matter-of-fact and unsympathetic way.
+But what you&#8217;ve got to do now is to get up, have a tub, slip into a
+dressing-gown, and have a quiet little dinner with me here. It&#8217;s just
+gone eight, so you ought to be ready for it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>He disappeared to turn on the bath-water, and then, when he met me in
+the passage making for the bathroom, he handed me a glass.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Drink this, old chap,&#8221; he said.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What is it?&#8221; I asked suspiciously. &#8220;I don&#8217;t want any fancy
+pick-me-ups. They only make you worse afterwards.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That was prescribed by Doctor Common Sense,&#8221; he answered lightly.
+&#8220;It&#8217;s peach bitters!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>After my tub I was able to tackle my dinner, with the knowledge that I
+was badly in need of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>something to eat, a feeling which surprised me
+very much. Throughout the meal Dennis told me of the enlistment of
+Jack and poor Tommy Evans, and we discussed their prospects and the
+chances of my seeing them before they disappeared into the crowded
+ranks of Kitchener&#8217;s Army. Dennis himself had been ruthlessly refused.
+He spoke of trying his luck again until they accepted him, but I knew,
+from what he told me of the doctor&#8217;s remarks, that he had no earthly
+chance of being passed. He seemed to have entirely mastered his regret
+at his inability to serve his country in the ranks, but I understood
+at once that he was merely putting his own troubles in the background
+in face of my own. The meal over, we &#8220;got behind&#8221; two of Dennis&#8217;s
+excellent cigars, and made ourselves comfortable.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now then, old man,&#8221; said my friend, &#8220;a complete and precise account
+of what has happened to you since you left King&#8217;s Cross two days ago.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It has all been so extraordinary and terrible,&#8221; I said, &#8220;that I
+hardly know where to begin.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I saw you last at the station,&#8221; he said, laying a hand on my knee.
+&#8220;Begin from there.&#8221; So I began at the beginning, and told him just
+what had happened, exactly as I have told the reader.</p>
+
+<p>Dennis was deeply moved.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;And then you saw Olvery?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;What did he say?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I got up, paced the room. What had Olvery said? Should I ever forget
+those blistering words to the day of my death?</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Come, old boy,&#8221; said Dennis kindly. &#8220;You must remember that Olvery is
+merely a man. He is only one of the many floundering about among the
+mysteries of Nature, trying to throw light upon darkness. You mustn&#8217;t
+imagine that his view is necessarily correct, from whichever point he
+looked at the case.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank you for that,&#8221; I said. &#8220;I am afraid I forgot that he might
+possibly be mistaken. He says he knows nothing of this case at all; he
+can make nothing of it; it is quite beyond him. He is certain that no
+such similar case has been brought to the knowledge of optical
+science. His view is that there is the remotest possibility that this
+green veil may lift, but he says he is sure that if there were any
+scientific reason for saying that her sight will be restored he would
+be able to detect it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I prefer your Dr. Whitehouse to this man any day,&#8221; said Dennis
+emphatically. &#8220;He took just the opposite view. This man Olvery, like
+so many specialists, is evidently a dogmatic egotist.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very glad you can give us even that hope. But the eyes are such a
+delicate instrument. It is difficult to see how the sight can be
+recovered when once it has gone. Of course, Olvery is going to do
+what he can. He has suggested certain treatment, and massage, and so
+forth, and he has no objection to her going back home again. Myra, of
+course, is tremendously anxious for me to take her back to her father.
+She is worrying about him already; and, fortunately, Olvery knows
+Whitehouse, and has the highest opinion of him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Go back as soon as you can, old chap,&#8221; Dennis advised. &#8220;Wire me if
+there is anything I can do for you at this end. I&#8217;ll make some
+inquiries, and see if I can find out anything about any similar cases,
+and so on. But you take the girl back home if she wants to go.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>While we were still talking, Dennis&#8217;s man, Cooper, entered.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Telegram for Mr. Ewart, sir,&#8221; he said.</p>
+
+<p>I took the yellow envelope and opened it carelessly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What is it?&#8221; cried Dennis, springing to his feet as he saw my face.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Read it,&#8221; I said faintly, as I handed it to him. Dennis read the
+message aloud:</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Come back at once. I can&#8217;t stand this. Sholto is blind.&mdash;<span class="smcap">McLeod</span>.&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+
+<h3>CONTAINS A FURTHER ENIGMA.</h3>
+
+<p>Back again at King&#8217;s Cross. I seemed to have been travelling on the
+line all my life. Myra turned to Dennis to say good-bye.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I hope,&#8221; she said bravely, &#8220;that when we meet again, Mr. Burnham, I
+shall be able to tell you that I can see you looking well.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I do hope so, indeed, Miss McLeod,&#8221; said Dennis fervently, with a
+quick glance at me. He was lost in admiration at the quiet calm with
+which my poor darling took her terrible affliction.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good-bye, old chap,&#8221; my friend said to me cheerily. &#8220;I hope to hear
+in a day or two that Miss McLeod is quite well again. And,&#8221; he added
+in a whisper, &#8220;wire me if I can be of the slightest use.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I readily agreed, and I was beginning, even at that early stage, to be
+very thankful that my friend was free to help me in case of need.</p>
+
+<p>When at last we reached Invermalluch Lodge again I sat for an hour in
+the library with the old General, telling him in detail the result of
+the specialist&#8217;s examination, but I took care to put Dennis&#8217;s point of
+view to him at the outset. I was glad I had done so, for he seized on
+the faint hope it offered, and clung to it in despair.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;What is your own impression of Olvery?&#8221; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I fancy his knighthood has got into his head,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;He gave me
+the impression that he was quite certain he knew everything there was
+to be known, and that the mere fact of his not being sure about the
+return of her sight made him positive that it must be complete and
+absolute blindness. Of course he hedged and left himself a loophole in
+the event of her recovery, but I could have told him just as much as
+he told me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You say you took it on yourself to take Myra out of his hands
+altogether. Why?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When I received your wire, I rang him up at once, and asked him to
+see me immediately,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;Eventually he agreed, and I took a
+taxi to his place, and told him about Sholto. He gave his opinion
+without any consideration whatever. He said: &#8216;The merest coincidence,
+Mr. Ewart&mdash;the merest coincidence&mdash;and you may even find that the dog
+has not actually lost his sight at all.&#8217; So naturally I thanked him,
+gave him his fee, and came away. I propose now that you should try and
+get this man&mdash;Garnish, is it&mdash;&mdash;?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Garnesk,&#8221; interposed the General, consulting a note Dr. Whitehouse
+had left&mdash;&#8220;Herbert Garnesk.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Well, I want you to try and get him sufficiently interested to come
+here&mdash;and stop here&mdash;until he has come to some decision, no matter
+what it is.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;A thundering good idea, Ronald,&#8221; agreed the old man. &#8220;But we can&#8217;t
+tell him this extraordinary story in writing.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll go and find him, and fetch him back with me, if I have to hold a
+gun to his head.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly I dashed off to Mallaig again, and caught the evening
+train to Glasgow. I spent an unhappy night at the Central Station
+Hotel&mdash;though it was certainly not the fault of the hotel&mdash;and looked
+up Mr. Garnesk as early in the morning as I dared disturb a celebrated
+consultant oculist. I took a fancy to the man at once. He was
+young&mdash;in the early &#8217;forties&mdash;very alert-looking, and exceedingly
+businesslike. His prematurely grey hair gave an added air of
+importance to the clever eye and clean-cut features, and he had a
+charm of manner which would have made his fortune had he been almost
+ignorant of the rudiments of his calling.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;So that&#8217;s the complete story of Miss McLeod and her dog Sholto,&#8221; he
+mused, when I had finished speaking. For a brief second I thought he
+was about to laugh at the apparent absurdity of the yarn, but before I
+had time to answer he spoke again.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Miss McLeod and her dog are apparently blind, and Mr. Ewart is a
+bundle of nerves&mdash;and this is very excellent brandy, Mr. Ewart. Allow
+me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p><p>I accepted the proffered glass with a laugh, in spite of myself.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What do you think of it?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>He sat on the edge of the table and swung his leg, wrapt in thought
+for a moment.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very glad to say I don&#8217;t know what to think of it,&#8221; he replied
+presently.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why glad?&#8221; I asked anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Because, my dear sir, this is so remarkable that if I thought I could
+see a solution I should probably be making a mistake. This is
+something I am learning about for the first time; and, frankly, it
+interests me intensely.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly he sat down abruptly, with a muttered &#8220;Now, then,&#8221; and began
+to catechise me in a most extraordinarily searching manner, firing off
+question after question with the rapidity of a maxim gun.</p>
+
+<p>I shall not detain the reader with details of this catechism. His
+inquiries ranged from the system on which the house was lighted and
+the number of hours Myra averaged per week on the sea to the make of
+the engine in her motor-boat. His last question was: &#8220;Does anybody
+drink the river water?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Windows that flash in the sun seem to me to be confusing the issue,&#8221;
+he said at last.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> &#8220;Windows must always reflect light in a certain
+direction at a certain time, and though they may be irritating they
+could not possibly produce even temporary blindness. Still, we won&#8217;t
+forget them, Mr. Ewart, though we had better put them aside for a
+moment. Now, how soon can you bring Miss McLeod to see me?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We had hoped,&#8221; I ventured to suggest, &#8220;that you would be able to run
+up and see her, and have a look at the ground. You could then examine
+the dog as well.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll be perfectly candid with you, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he replied. &#8220;I was
+just going to start on a short holiday. I was going to Switzerland;
+but the war has knocked that on the head, so I am just running up to
+Perthshire for a week&#8217;s fishing. I need a holiday very badly, more
+especially as I have undertaken some Government work in connection
+with the war. Fortunately, I am a bachelor, and I will willingly give
+up a couple of days to Miss McLeod.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why not combine business with pleasure?&#8221; I suggested. &#8220;There&#8217;s good
+fishing at Invermalluch, gorgeous scenery, a golf-course a mile or two
+away, and you can do just as you please on the General&#8217;s estate. He&#8217;ll
+be delighted.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Are you sure?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;Well, anyway, I can go to the Glenelg Hotel
+and fish up Glenmore. Now, Mr. Ewart, we will catch the afternoon
+train, the earliest there is&mdash;though I suppose there&#8217;s only one.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t tell you how grateful I am, Mr. Garnesk,&#8221; I said. &#8220;It may
+mean a very great deal to us that you are so anxious to see Miss
+McLeod.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I am not anxious to see Miss McLeod,&#8221; he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>answered, cryptically. &#8220;I&#8217;m
+anxious to see the dog.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I left him, to telegraph to the General that I was arriving that night
+bringing the specialist with me; and I need hardly say that I left the
+telegraph office with a comparatively light heart. The journey to
+Mallaig was one of the most interesting afternoons I have spent.
+Garnesk was consulting oculist to all the big chemical, machine, naval
+and other manufacturers in the great industrial centre on the Clyde,
+and he kept me enthralled with his accounts of the sudden attacks of
+various eye diseases which were occasionally the fate of the workers.
+The effects of chemicals, the indigenous generation of gases in the
+furnace-rooms, and so on, had afforded him ample scope for experiment;
+and, fortunately for us all, he was delighted to have found new ground
+for enlarging his experience. The mixture of professional anecdote and
+piscatorial prophecy with which he entertained me, now and then
+rushing across the carriage to get a glimpse of a salmon-pool in some
+river over which we happened to be passing, gave me an amusing insight
+into the character of one whom I have since learned to regard as a
+very brilliant and charming man. When we arrived at the landing-stage
+at the Lodge, the General greeted him with undisguised joy.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Begad! Mr. Garnesk,&#8221; he blurted, &#8220;I&#8217;m thundering glad to see you,
+sir. It&#8217;s good of you to come, sir&mdash;extremely good.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;That remains to be seen, General,&#8221; said Garnesk, solemnly&mdash;&#8220;whether
+my visit will do any good. I hope so, with all my heart.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Amen to that!&#8221; said the old man, pathetically, with a heavy sigh.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How is Miss McLeod?&#8221; asked the scientist.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Her eyes are no better,&#8221; the General replied. &#8220;She cannot see at all.
+Otherwise she is in perfect health. She says she feels as well as ever
+she did. I can&#8217;t understand it,&#8221; he finished helplessly.</p>
+
+<p>A suit-case, a bag of golf-clubs, and a square deal box completed
+Garnesk&#8217;s outfit.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Steady with that&mdash;here, let me take it?&#8221; he cried, as Angus was
+lifting the last item ashore. &#8220;Business and pleasure,&#8221; he continued,
+raising the box in his arms and indicating his clubs and fishing-rods
+with a jerk of the head. &#8220;I&#8217;ve one or two things here that may help me
+in my work, and as they are very delicate instruments I would rather
+carry them myself.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>As we approached the house the sound of the piano greeted us in the
+distance; and soon we could distinguish the strains of that most
+beautiful and understanding of all burial marches, Grieg&#8217;s &#8220;Aase&#8217;s
+Tod.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My daughter can even welcome us with a tune,&#8221; said the old man
+proudly. To him all music came under the category of &#8220;tunes,&#8221; with the
+sole exception of &#8220;God Save the King,&#8221; which was a national
+institution.</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk stopped and stood on the path, the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>deal box clasped carefully
+in his arms, his head on one side, listening.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We have the right sort of patient to deal with, anyway,&#8221; he remarked,
+with a sigh of relief. But to me the melancholy insistence of the
+exquisite harmonies was fraught with ill-omen, and I could not
+restrain the shudder of an unaccountable fear as we resumed our walk.
+Later on, when I found an opportunity to ask her why she had chosen
+that particular music, I was only partially relieved by her ingenuous
+answer:</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! just because I love it, Ronnie,&#8221; she said, &#8220;and there are no
+difficult intervals to play with your eyes shut. I thought it was
+rather clever of me to think of it. I shall soon be able to play more
+tricky things. It will cure me of looking at the notes when I can see
+again.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Myra and the young specialist were introduced; and, though he chatted
+gaily with her, and touched on innumerable subjects, he never once
+alluded to her misfortune. Though the General was evidently anxious
+that Garnesk should make his examination as soon as possible,
+hospitality forced him to suggest dinner first, and I was surprised at
+the alacrity with which the visitor concurred, knowing, as I did, his
+intense interest in the case. But, after a few conventional remarks to
+the General and Myra, I was about to show him to his room when he
+seized my arm excitedly.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Quick!&#8221; he whispered. &#8220;Where&#8217;s the dog?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I led him to a room above the coach-house where poor Sholto was a
+pitiful prisoner. Garnesk deposited his precious packing-case on the
+floor, and called the dog to him. Sholto sprang forward in a moment,
+recognising the tone of friendship in the voice, and planted his paws
+on my companion&#8217;s chest. For twenty minutes the examination lasted.
+One strange test after another was applied to the poor animal; but he
+was very good about it, and seemed to understand that we were trying
+to help him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should hate to have to kill that dog, but it may be necessary
+before long,&#8221; said the specialist. &#8220;But why didn&#8217;t you tell Miss
+McLeod her dog was blind?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We were afraid it would upset her too much,&#8221; I answered, and then
+suddenly realising the point of the question, I added, &#8220;but how on
+earth did you know we hadn&#8217;t?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Because,&#8221; he said thoughtfully, &#8220;if you had, she strikes me as the
+sort of girl who would have asked me straight away what I thought I
+could do for him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You seem to understand human nature as well as you do science,&#8221; I
+said admiringly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The two are identical, or at least co-incident, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he
+replied solemnly. &#8220;But what was it you <i>did</i> tell her?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;We said he was suffering from a sort of eczema, which looked as if
+it might be infectious, and we thought she ought not to be near him
+for a bit. Otherwise, of course, she would have wanted him with her
+all the time.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>When the examination was over for the time being, I chained Sholto to
+a hook in an old harness-rack, for he was strong and unused to
+captivity, and the door had no lock, only a small bolt outside.
+Garnesk packed away his instruments, carried them carefully to the
+house, and then we sprinted upstairs to dress hurriedly for dinner.</p>
+
+<p>Myra, poor child, was sensitive about joining us, but the specialist
+was very anxious that she should do so, and we all dined together.
+There was no allusion whatever to the strange events which had brought
+us together, but, with my professional knowledge of the mysteries of
+cross-examination, I noticed that Garnesk contrived to acquire more
+knowledge of various circumstances on which he seemed to wish to be
+enlightened than Sir Gaire Olvery had gleaned from forty minutes&#8217;
+blunt questioning.</p>
+
+<p>Myra had hardly left us after the meal was over when the butler handed
+the General a card, and almost simultaneously a tall, shadowy figure
+passed the window along the verandah.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;&#8217;Pon my soul, that&#8217;s kind of him,&#8221; said the simple-hearted old man.
+&#8220;Run after him, Ronald, and fetch him back.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Who is it?&#8221; I asked, rising.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;&#8216;Mr. J. G. Hilderman wishes to express his sympathy with General
+McLeod in his daughter&#8217;s illness.&#8217; Very neighbourly indeed.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I ran out after Hilderman, and found that his long legs had taken him
+nearly half-way to the landing-stage by the time I overtook him. He
+stopped as I called his name.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he exclaimed in surprise, &#8220;you back again already? I
+hope you had a very satisfactory interview with the specialist.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I told him briefly that our visit to London had given us no
+satisfaction at all, and gave him the General&#8217;s invitation to come up
+to the house.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t think of it, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he declared emphatically. &#8220;Very
+kind of General McLeod, but he don&#8217;t want to worry with strangers just
+now.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>He was very determined; but I insisted, and he eventually gave way. I
+was glad he had come. I had a somewhat unreasonable esteem for his
+abilities and resource, and every assistance was welcomed with open
+arms at Invermalluch Lodge at that time. His extensive knowledge even
+included some slight acquaintance with the body&#8217;s most wonderful
+organ, for he told us some very interesting eye cases he had heard of
+in the States. He was genuinely dumbfoundered when we told him that
+Sholto was an additional victim.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You don&#8217;t say so!&#8221; he exclaimed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> &#8220;Well, that <i>is</i> remarkable. It
+sounds as if it came out of a book. In broad daylight a young lady
+goes out, and is as well as can be. An hour later she is stone blind.
+Two days afterwards her dog goes out, and <i>he</i> comes in blind. Yes,
+it&#8217;s got me beaten.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s got us all beaten,&#8221; said Garnesk deliberately, and I was shocked
+to hear him say it. I reflected that he had not even examined Myra,
+and my disappointment was the keener that he should admit himself
+nonplussed so early. But he left me no loophole of doubt.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can make nothing whatever of it,&#8221; he added, ruefully shaking his
+head. &#8220;I wonder if I ever shall?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Come, come! my dear sir,&#8221; said Hilderman cheerily. &#8220;You scientist
+fellows have a knack of making your difficulties a little greater than
+they really are, in order to get more credit for surmounting them. I
+know your little ways. I&#8217;m an American, you know, professor; you can&#8217;t
+get me that way.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk laughed&mdash;fortunately. And again I was grateful to Hilderman
+for his timely tact, for it cheered the old man immensely, and helped
+me a little, too. Presently the General left the room, and Garnesk
+leaned forward.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Hilderman,&#8221; he said earnestly, &#8220;do everything in your power to keep
+the old man&#8217;s spirits up. I can give him no hope, professionally&mdash;I
+dare not. But you, a layman, can. It is difficult in the circumstances
+for Mr. Ewart to give much encouragement, but I know he will do his
+best.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;J. G. Hilderman is yours to command,&#8221; said <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>the American, with a bow
+that included us both. And then the oculist suggested that we should
+have a look at Sholto. I led the way to the coach-house with a heavy
+heart. I should not have minded a mystery which would have endangered
+my own life. Apart from any altruism, the personal peril would have
+afforded a welcome stimulant. But this unseen horror, which stabbed in
+the dark and robbed my beautiful Myra of her sight, chilled my very
+soul. I climbed wearily up the wooden stair to Sholto&#8217;s new den,
+carrying a stable lantern in my hand, for it was getting late, and the
+carefully darkened room would be as black as ink. The other two
+followed close on my heels. I opened the door and called to the dog. A
+faint, sickly-sweet odour met me as I did so.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You give your dogs elaborate kennels,&#8221; said Hilderman, as he climbed
+the stairs, and I laughed in reply.</p>
+
+<p>At that instant Garnesk stood still and sniffed the air. With a sudden
+jerk he wrenched the lantern from my hand and strode into the room.
+Sholto was gone. Only half his chain dangled from the hook, cut
+through the middle with a pair of strong wire-nippers.</p>
+
+<p>The oculist turned to us with an expression of acute interest.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Chloroform,&#8221; he said quietly.</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CHEMIST&#8217;S ROCK.</h3>
+
+<p>By the time we gave up our hunt for Sholto that night and saw
+Hilderman into the <i>Baltimore II.</i> at the landing-stage, the harvest
+moon had splashed the mountain side with patches of silver in reckless
+profusion. But we were in no mood for &aelig;sthetics. We applied the
+moonlight to more practical purposes.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Show me the river, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; said Garnesk, as we turned away from
+the shore. Accordingly I took him up stream till we came to Dead Man&#8217;s
+Pool.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What do you make of things now?&#8221; I asked, as we walked along.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t make anything of the stealing of a dog except that someone
+coveted it and has now got it. Can you?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I answered thoughtfully, &#8220;I can&#8217;t. But it&#8217;s an extraordinary
+coincidence, at the least; and who on earth could have stolen him? You
+see, no one round here would dream of taking anything that belonged to
+Miss McLeod. And, though Sholto is well enough bred, he&#8217;s never been
+in a show, and has no reputation. I can&#8217;t make it out.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very sorry it happened just now,&#8221; said the oculist.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> &#8220;I was in
+hopes that by experimenting on the animal I could cure the girl. But
+at any rate that is beyond grieving about now. Is this the place?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I said, &#8220;this is Dead Man&#8217;s Pool. That dim white shape there is
+the Chemist&#8217;s Rock. It was there that Miss McLeod lost her sight, and
+here that the General had his extraordinary experience. It looks
+innocent and peaceful enough,&#8221; I added, with a sigh.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The General was very lucky&mdash;very lucky indeed!&#8221; murmured my
+companion.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He was down here looking at the rock, and he saw some sort of vision;
+Miss McLeod was up at the rock looking down at the pool, and she lost
+her sight. The General might have been looking this way instead of
+that, in which case we might have had another case on our hands.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Then you think the two adventures are different aspects of the same
+thing? If only we knew where Sholto was it might give us even more to
+go on.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Have you any tobacco?&#8221; he asked abruptly. &#8220;I&#8217;ve got a pipe, but I
+left my tobacco in my room.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We were in evening dress, and my pouch and pipe were in the house; so
+I left him there while I ran in to fetch them. When I returned he was
+nowhere to be seen, and for a moment I half suspected some new
+tragedy; but as I looked round I caught the gleam of the moonlight on
+his shirt-front. I found him kneeling on the Chemist&#8217;s Rock, looking
+out to sea.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Many thanks, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he said, as he handed me back my pouch and
+took the light I offered him. &#8220;Ah! I&#8217;m glad to see you smoke real
+tobacco. By the way,&#8221; he added, &#8220;have you a friend&mdash;a real friend&mdash;you
+can trust?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I have, thank God!&#8221; I replied fervently. &#8220;Why?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should like you to send for him. Do anything you can to get him
+here at once. Go and drag him here, if you like&mdash;only get him here.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But why this urgency?&#8221; I asked again. &#8220;I admit that we have some very
+horrible natural phenomena to deal with; but, apart from the fact that
+some wretched poacher has stolen a dog, we have no human element to
+fear. I don&#8217;t see how he can help, and he might run a risk himself.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Never mind&mdash;fetch him or send for him. If you could have seen
+yourself start when you returned to the pool yonder to find me
+missing, you would realise that your nervous system would be the
+better for a little congenial companionship. Frankly, Mr. Ewart, I
+don&#8217;t like the idea of you being left alone here during the next few
+days with a blind girl and an old man&mdash;if you&#8217;ll pardon me for being
+so blunt.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But you&#8217;ll be here,&#8221; I said; &#8220;and I hope you will have something to
+say to us that will put nerves out of the question when you have
+examined Myra.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk rose to his feet and laid a friendly hand on my arm.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;As soon as I&#8217;ve seen what this place looks like at a quarter-past
+four to a quarter-past five in the afternoon I shall leave you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But&mdash;good heavens, man!&#8221; I cried, aghast, &#8220;you won&#8217;t leave us like
+that. We hoped for so much from your visit. You can&#8217;t realise, man,
+what it may mean to&mdash;to us all! You see&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear chap,&#8221; said my companion, cutting me short with a laugh, &#8220;it
+is just because I do realise that my presence here may be dangerous to
+Miss McLeod that I propose to leave.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Dangerous to her?&#8221; I gasped. &#8220;What on earth do you mean now?&#8221; The
+whole world seemed to have taken leave of its senses, and I mentally
+vowed that I should wire for Dennis first thing in the morning.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I say that because her dog has been drugged and taken away.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But some fool of a poacher was responsible for that!&#8221; I cried.</p>
+
+<p>My companion looked at me thoughtfully as he puffed at his pipe.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I was the cause of the dog&#8217;s disappearance,&#8221; he said quietly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I see what you&#8217;re driving at,&#8221; I said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> &#8220;You pretended to steal the
+dog because you were afraid Myra would make overwhelming objections to
+your vivisecting him, or whatever you want to do. Of course, now I see
+you would be the only person about Invermalluch Lodge likely to have
+chloroform. But even then I don&#8217;t see what you mean by saying that
+your presence here would be dangerous to Miss McLeod.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s a very ingenious construction to put on my words, my dear
+fellow,&#8221; he said; &#8220;but in my mind I was relying on you to overcome my
+patient&#8217;s objections to any experiments that might be deemed advisable
+on her dog. I meant something much more serious than that. I have
+known you only a few hours, Mr. Ewart; but nobody need tell me you are
+anything of a fool, unless he wants a very flat contradiction. You are
+looking at this affair from a personal point of view&mdash;and no wonder,
+either. But if you were not so worried about your <i>fianc&eacute;e</i> your brain
+would have grasped my point at once. That is why I want you to send
+for a friend.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I will,&#8221; I promised solemnly. &#8220;Now tell me&mdash;what did you mean?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When I said I was the cause of the dog&#8217;s disappearance, I meant that
+if I hadn&#8217;t arrived on the scene the dog would never have been
+touched. The dog was taken by someone who knew he was blind, who knew
+that I would experiment on him, and who was determined to get there
+first.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But,&#8221; I exclaimed, &#8220;that would be carrying professional jealousy a
+bit too far&mdash;if that&#8217;s what you mean!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It would be carrying it so far that we can rule it out of court,&#8221; he
+answered.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> &#8220;So that&#8217;s what I don&#8217;t mean. Let&#8217;s go back and analyse the
+occurrence. I say the dog was not stolen by poachers, because of the
+chloroform; you said the same yourself. I say that the thief knew the
+dog was blind, because he knew he was in a darkened room above the
+coach-house, and he stole him from there. A poacher would have gone to
+the kennel, and found it empty&mdash;and that would have been the end of
+that. But the man who knew the dog was in a special room must have
+known why he was there; and it seems to me that the man who steals a
+blind dog steals him because, for some reason or other, he wants a
+blind dog&mdash;that very one, probably. Have you got me?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I said, &#8220;I follow you so far. Go on.&#8221; And I was surprised to
+find how relieved I was at this suggested complication. I felt that if
+we could only attribute this amazing week of mysteries to some human
+agent I should be able to grapple with it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now I come to my main point,&#8221; Garnesk continued, &#8220;and it&#8217;s this: The
+man who wanted Sholto because he was blind wanted him to experiment
+on. But no professional man would do a thing like that, even supposing
+there to be one about. That motive again is ruled out of court. There
+remains one possible solution&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well?&#8221; I asked breathlessly, for even now I failed to grasp the
+conclusion my scientific companion could be coming to. &#8220;Go on!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;If this thief did not want Sholto to experiment on himself, he stole
+the dog in order to prevent me from experimenting on him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p><p>I laughed aloud from sheer excitement and the relief of finding some
+tangible thing to go on, for the oculist&#8217;s argument struck me as very
+nearly perfect.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You ought to be at Scotland Yard,&#8221; I said. &#8220;You seem to me to have
+hit the nail on the head.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The two callings are very closely allied,&#8221; he said modestly.
+&#8220;Detectives deal with murderers and thieves, and I with nerves and
+tissues. It is all a question of diagnosis.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I must say I think you&#8217;ve diagnosed this case very well, Mr.
+Garnesk,&#8221; I said, &#8220;though we are just at the beginning of our troubles
+if what you suppose is correct.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t think of any other solution,&#8221; he answered thoughtfully; &#8220;and
+we are, as you say, just at the beginning of our troubles. The first
+thing to do is&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;To find the man who stole the dog,&#8221; I cut in.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;To find the man who knew the dog was blind,&#8221; he corrected. &#8220;By that
+means we may come to the man who stole the dog; then we may get his
+reason from his own lips, if we are exceptionally lucky. But I fancy I
+can supply his motive, failing a full confession.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You can?&#8221; I cried. &#8220;Let&#8217;s hear it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve thought of one yourself, of course?&#8221; he asked.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;The only motive I can think of is too fantastic altogether. It is
+weak enough to presuppose that someone has a grievance against Miss
+McLeod or the General, and that someone took advantage of the
+extraordinary circumstances to steal Sholto, and if possible prevent
+Myra getting her sight back. Oh, it&#8217;s too ridiculous!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We have to remember,&#8221; my companion suggested, &#8220;that our unknown
+quantity not only knew that the dog was blind, but also knew that I
+was coming or had arrived, and would probably experiment on the beast.
+It argues a very terrible urgency that the animal disappeared within
+an hour or two of my arrival. From all that I deduce what seems to me
+the only possible motive. The dog was stolen by the man who made Miss
+McLeod blind.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;<i>Made</i> her blind!&#8221; I cried. &#8220;You don&#8217;t seriously mean that you think
+someone&mdash;some fiend of hell&mdash;deliberately blinded her?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not deliberately,&#8221; my companion replied. &#8220;But I believe it was
+through some human agency that she was blinded. I think some person or
+persons were anxious that Miss McLeod should remain blind, in case we
+should, in the process of recovering her sight, hit upon the cause of
+her losing it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>In silence I sat for a few moments, thinking over this extraordinary
+new outlook. I must certainly wire for Dennis in the morning.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Garnesk,&#8221; I said presently,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> &#8220;you are bringing a very terrible
+charge against some human monster whom we have yet to discover. But I
+must admit that you seem to have logic on your side. It remains for
+me to discover who these people are&mdash;if there are more than one.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he mused; &#8220;that is what we must discover.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We!&#8221; I exclaimed. &#8220;Then you&#8217;re not going away?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think it would be fairer to you all if I left you.
+I think my arrival has done some good&mdash;my departure may do more. But I
+assure you, Mr. Ewart, I shall not give up this case till Miss McLeod
+recovers her sight. I give you my hand on that.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I shook hands with him warmly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank you,&#8221; I said, as I noticed the eager look on his keen, handsome
+face. &#8220;Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To-morrow I hope I shall
+find the man who knew Sholto was blind.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I only know of one outside the General&#8217;s household,&#8221; he answered.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But I don&#8217;t even know that!&#8221; I cried, forgetting Dennis for the
+moment. As for Olvery, he had gone clean out of my mind. &#8220;Who do you
+mean?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The American,&#8221; said my companion.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hilderman!&#8221; I exclaimed. &#8220;Surely you must be mistaken. Why, he was
+absolutely astonished when we told him. He can&#8217;t have known.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Still,&#8221; Garnesk insisted,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> &#8220;I felt sure he knew. I suspected something
+about him, but I was wrong to do that, quite wrong; I admit that now.
+I couldn&#8217;t at first see why he pretended he hadn&#8217;t heard that Sholto
+was blind. You may have noticed that I tried to give him the
+impression that I had examined Miss McLeod and come to the conclusion
+that I could do nothing. I confess I did that to see how he took it.
+But I was on a wrong scent altogether. He knew about the dog, that was
+obvious, but it was also obvious that he hadn&#8217;t been told from an
+official source, so to speak. He kept fishing for information. He
+brought up the dog several times, each time with a query mark in his
+voice&mdash;as you might say. He remarked that the <i>last</i> time he saw Miss
+McLeod she had her beautiful dog with her. That made me suspicious,
+because from what you told me she always had her dog with her. Then he
+said her dog must be feeling it very keenly, you remember. I tried him
+with my pessimistic conclusions to see how he took it. You see, as
+soon as I saw the dog I put contagious disease out of the question.
+Natural forces unguided seemed impossible, but natural forces of some
+nature that we can&#8217;t yet understand seemed probable. Still I was wrong
+to suspect Hilderman, quite wrong. Besides he couldn&#8217;t possibly have
+stolen the dog.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m glad you feel you were wrong there,&#8221; I said, &#8220;because I rather
+like the man. I shouldn&#8217;t care to have to suspect him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t suspect him, whatever you do,&#8221; said the oculist earnestly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>
+&#8220;Whatever you do, don&#8217;t do that. He might be very useful. Make a
+friend of him. You&#8217;ll want all your friends.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>He rose and stretched his legs, and I followed suit. We stood for a
+moment on the Chemist&#8217;s Rock and gazed up the river, over the top of
+the falls, into the silver and purple symphony of a highland night.
+Presently my companion turned and took my arm.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve seen all I want to see,&#8221; he said as he began to lead me down to
+the pool again. &#8220;They&#8217;ll wonder what has become of us. And as I&#8217;ve
+seen enough for one night, let&#8217;s get back to the house.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a wonderful view at any time of the day or night,&#8221; I agreed, and
+I sighed as I thought of poor Myra.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It must be,&#8221; said Garnesk absently, picking his way across the rocks.
+&#8220;It must be a magnificent view. I haven&#8217;t noticed it; you must bring
+me here to-morrow.&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>MISTS OF UNCERTAINTY.</h3>
+
+<p>When we got back to the house we found Myra and her father&mdash;not
+unnaturally&mdash;wondering what had become of us.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What have you been doing, and where have you been, and what do you
+mean by it?&#8221; she asked, playfully. &#8220;I wish I could see you. I&#8217;m sure
+you must be looking very guilty.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk and I exchanged hurried glances. It was obvious from her
+remark that the General had not told her of Sholto&#8217;s disappearance. I
+decided there and then that I would have to tell her the whole truth
+myself, and I gave the others a pretty broad hint that we would like
+to be left alone. I left the drawing-room and went with them to the
+library, and answered the old man&#8217;s feverish questions as to the
+result of our search.</p>
+
+<p>Then I returned to Myra. It was a difficult and unpleasant task that I
+had to perform, but I got through it somehow; and, as I expected, Myra
+was very distressed about her dog, but not in the least frightened. I
+had thought it wiser not to acquaint her with the specialist&#8217;s
+deductions as to the connection between her own affliction and the
+theft of Sholto. When I had given her as many particulars as I thought
+advisable, the other two rejoined us.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Can you think of anyone at all, Miss McLeod,&#8221; the specialist asked,
+&#8220;who would be likely to steal Sholto?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t,&#8221; the girl replied helplessly. &#8220;I wish I could.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The two classes of people we want to find,&#8221; I suggested, &#8220;are those
+who like Sholto so much as to be prepared to steal him, and those who
+dislike him so much as to be anxious to destroy him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You don&#8217;t think they&#8217;ll hurt him,&#8221; she cried, anxiously. &#8220;Poor old
+fellow! It&#8217;s bad enough his being blind; but I would rather know he
+was dead than being ill-treated.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s much more likely to be the act of some very human person who
+covets his neighbour&#8217;s goods,&#8221; said Garnesk, reassuringly. &#8220;But, at
+the same time, we must not overlook the other possibility. Can you
+remember anyone who does dislike the dog?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Only one,&#8221; said Myra, thoughtfully, &#8220;and I don&#8217;t think he could have
+done it. He has a small croft away up above Tor Beag, and Sholto and
+I were up there one day; but it&#8217;s months ago. Sholto went nosing round
+as usual, and the man came out and got very excited in Gaelic&mdash;and you
+know how excited one can be in that language. He was very rude to me
+about the dog, and it made me rather suspicious. I told daddy about it
+after.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Yes, and I hope you won&#8217;t go wandering about so far from home
+without saying where you&#8217;re going in future, my dear; because&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;
+said the old man, and pulled himself up in pained confusion as he
+realised the tragic significance of his words.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Some sort of poacher, perhaps,&#8221; suggested Garnesk, coming quickly to
+the rescue.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;An illicit whisky still somewhere about, more likely,&#8221; Myra replied.
+And as she could think of no other likely person, and the crofter
+seemed out of the question, we had to confess ourselves puzzled. I had
+hoped that Myra would have been able to give us some clue with which
+we could have satisfied her, while we kept our suspicions to
+ourselves. Then we left Myra with the specialist, who made a temporary
+examination. In twenty minutes he assured us that he could make
+nothing of the case, but that he was willing to stake his reputation
+that there was nothing organically wrong; and he gave us, so far as he
+dared, distinct reason to hope that she would eventually regain full
+possession of her lost faculty. So, after general rejoicings all
+round, in which I quite forgot the mystery of the man who stole the
+dog, I went to bed feeling ten years younger, and slept like a top.</p>
+
+<p>When I awoke in the morning much of my elation of spirit had
+evaporated, and I felt again the oppression of surrounding tragedy. I
+got up immediately&mdash;it was just after six&mdash;dressed, and went down to
+bathe. I was strolling down <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>the drive, with a towel round my neck,
+when Garnesk put his head out of his window and shouted that he would
+join me. The tide being in, we saved ourselves a walk to the
+diving-rock, as the point was called, and bathed from the
+landing-stage. Refreshed by the swim, we determined to scour the
+country-side for any tracks of the thief.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What beats me is how anybody in a place like this, where everybody
+for miles round knows more about you than you do yourself, could get
+rid of an enormous beast like Sholto. He was big even for a Dane, and
+his weight must have been tremendous when he was drugged,&#8221; said
+Garnesk, as we walked up the beach path. &#8220;Have you ever tried to carry
+a man who&#8217;s fainted?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I have,&#8221; I answered with feeling, &#8220;and I quite agree with you. If the
+thief wanted to do away with the dog the beast&#8217;s body is probably
+somewhere near.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What about the river?&#8221; my companion suggested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;More likely the loch,&#8221; I decided,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> &#8220;or the sea. But that would mean a
+boat, because it would have to be buried in deep water, or the body
+would be washed up again on the rocks, even with a heavy weight
+attached. There are many deep pools in the river, but they are
+constantly fished, and that would lead to eventual detection. We are
+dealing with a man who knows his way about. It might be the loch or
+one of the burns, easily.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly we decided to try the loch first; but though we followed
+the path from the house, carefully studying the ground every foot of
+the way, and examined the banks equally carefully, we were forced to
+the conclusion that we were on the wrong scent. Then we came down one
+of the burns that runs from the loch to the sea, and met with the same
+result.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll walk along the beach and go up the next stream,&#8221; Garnesk
+suggested. &#8220;Hullo,&#8221; he exclaimed suddenly, as we clambered over the
+huge rocks into a tiny cove, &#8220;there&#8217;s been a boat in here!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I looked at the shingly beach, and saw the keel-marks of a boat and
+the footprints of its occupants in the middle of the cove. We went up
+gingerly, for fear of disturbing the ground of our investigations. I
+looked at the marks, and pondered them for a moment. By this time my
+senses were wide awake.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What do you make of it?&#8221; the oculist asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; I replied, with an apologetic laugh, &#8220;I&#8217;m afraid you&#8217;ll think
+me more picturesque than businesslike if I tell you all the
+conclusions I&#8217;ve already come to; but the man who came ashore in this
+boat didn&#8217;t steal Sholto.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Go on,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Why, I told you I knew you weren&#8217;t a fool.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank you!&#8221; I laughed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> &#8220;It seems to me that if a man arrived in a
+boat and went ashore to steal a dog, he would go away again in the
+same boat.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And didn&#8217;t he?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I feel convinced he didn&#8217;t,&#8221; I replied, and pointed out to him what
+must have been obvious to both of us. &#8220;Compare the keel-marks with
+high-water mark. There is less than half a boat&#8217;s length of keel-mark,
+and it is just up above high-water mark. This craft, which appears to
+have been a small rowing-boat, was run ashore at high tide, or very
+near it, and run out again very quickly. It might conceivably have
+come in and been caught up by the sea. But Sholto was stolen between a
+quarter past eight and half-past nine, when the tide was well on the
+way out. If Sholto went out to sea it was not in this boat.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; said Garnesk, thoughtfully, &#8220;your point is good enough for me.
+We must look somewhere else.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I hope my attempts at detective work will not put us off the scent,&#8221;
+I said, doubtfully.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think they will, Ewart,&#8221; said my companion, graciously. &#8220;Not
+in this case, anyway. I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;re right, because this bay can be
+seen from the top windows of the house.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You evidently reached my conclusions with half the effort in half the
+time,&#8221; I laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, nonsense!&#8221; he exclaimed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> &#8220;It was you who pointed out that the
+one man in this boat came in daylight.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why &#8216;one man&#8217; so emphatically?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When two men come in a boat to commit a theft, and only one of them
+goes ashore, the other would hardly be expected to sit in the boat and
+twiddle his thumbs. It&#8217;s a thousand pounds to a penny that he would
+get out and walk about the beach. Now, only one gentleman came ashore
+from this boat, and only one got on board again. One set of footprints
+going and one coming decided me on that. Besides, if anyone came along
+and saw a solitary man sitting in a boat, they might ask him how his
+wife and children were, and he would have to reply; whereas an empty
+boat, being unable to answer questions, would raise no suspicions.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You seem to be arguing that this boat may have been the one we are
+looking for,&#8221; I pointed out; &#8220;and yet we are agreed that the state of
+the tide made it impossible for Sholto to have been taken away in it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; said Garnesk,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> &#8220;I agree to that. But I fancy the thief came by
+that boat. It seems to me that our man jumps out of the boat, runs
+ashore, and his friend pulls away and picks him up elsewhere&mdash;probably
+nearer the house. It would look perfectly natural for a man who has
+apparently been giving a companion a pull across from Skye, say, to
+land him and then go back. The more I think of this the more it
+interests me. You see, if the top windows of the house can be seen
+from the bay, it means that the lower windows can be seen from the top
+of the cliff. If we can find where our thief lay in wait on the cliff
+and watched the house, probably with his eyes glued on the dining-room
+windows to see when we commenced dinner, if we can also find where he
+left his sea-boots while he went to the house, and then where he
+rejoined his companion, we are getting on.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What makes you say &#8216;sea-boots&#8217;?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;You can&#8217;t tell a top-boot
+by the footmarks.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Indirectly you can,&#8221; Garnesk replied, puffing thoughtfully at his
+pipe.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> &#8220;That boat was pulled in and pushed out by a man who exerted
+hardly any pressure, although the beach only slopes gently. His
+companion did not lend a hand by pushing her out with an oar; if he
+had done so we should have seen the marks, and I couldn&#8217;t find any.
+The only other way to account for it is that our friend, who exerted
+so little pressure, was wearing sea-boots and walked into the water
+with the boat. Had he been alone, the jerk of his final jump into the
+boat would have left a deeper impression on the beach. The tide was
+just going out; it would have no time to wash this mark away. I looked
+for the mark, and it wasn&#8217;t there; so I came to the final conclusion
+that two men arrived in the cove shortly after seven last night in a
+small open boat. One of them&mdash;a tall, left-handed man in
+sea-boots&mdash;pushed the boat out again and went ashore.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I am afraid I was rude enough to shout with laughter at this very
+definite statement; but it was mainly with excited admiration that I
+laughed&mdash;certainly not with ridicule. Garnesk turned to me
+apologetically.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I know it sounds far-fetched, my dear chap,&#8221; he said; &#8220;but we shall
+have to think a lot over this business, and I am simply thinking aloud
+in order that you can give me your help in my own conclusions.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear fellow,&#8221; I cried, &#8220;don&#8217;t, for heaven&#8217;s sake, imagine that I
+am laughing at you. It was the left-handed touch that made me guffaw
+with sheer excitement.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, I think he was left-handed, because the footmarks were going
+ashore on the right-hand side of the keel-marks, and going seawards on
+the left-hand side. Jump out of a boat and push it out to sea, and
+notice which side of the boat you stand by instinct&mdash;provided you were
+doing as he was, pushing on the point of the bows. The fact that his
+feet obliterate the keel-marks in one place proves that. So now we
+want to find a left-handed man in sea-boots who knew Sholto was
+blind&#8221;&mdash;and he laughed in a half-apology.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What about these sea-boots,&#8221; I asked, &#8220;and the place we are to find
+where he left them?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll look for that now; and if we find it we can be pretty sure our
+mariner stole the dog.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You seem to be taking it for granted already,&#8221; I pointed out.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The easiest way to prove he didn&#8217;t is to satisfy ourselves that
+there&#8217;s no evidence he did,&#8221; said the oculist. &#8220;But I fancy he did.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;From the way you&#8217;ve sized it up so far I should be inclined to back
+your fancy,&#8221; I admitted frankly. &#8220;I take it, from your diagnosis, that
+our nautical friend came ashore here, went up on to the cliff, and
+glued his eye to the dining-room window. When he saw we were at
+dinner, and it was getting dusk&mdash;in fact, almost dark&mdash;he took off his
+sea-boots and slipped up to the Lodge in his stocking-soles. So if we
+climb the cliff, we expect to find the spot on which he deposited his
+boots.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;If we expected that,&#8221; Garnesk replied, &#8220;we should also expect to find
+his boots; and he wouldn&#8217;t be likely to leave such incriminating
+evidence in our hands as that. No, my dear Ewart; when he left the
+cliff he was wearing his boots, and he left them at some point on the
+path between the house and his embarking place. Come&mdash;let&#8217;s look.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I was intensely interested in my friend&#8217;s deductions, and I felt
+convinced that he was right. So we climbed the cliff, he by one route
+and I by another, in order to see if we could find any traces of last
+night&#8217;s visitor. But that was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>impossible; the rocks were too
+storm-swept to harbour any sort of lichen which would have shown
+evidence of footmarks. Still, we were not disappointed when we reached
+the top, and Garnesk looked at me with a charming expression of boyish
+triumph when we came across a patch of ground where the heather had
+obviously been trampled about and worn down by someone recently lying
+there.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think we&#8217;ll worry about tracing him from here just now,&#8221; said
+the specialist. &#8220;It would be a very difficult job, and we may as well
+make for the most likely spot to embark from.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Right you are,&#8221; I agreed. &#8220;I think there can only be one&mdash;that is a
+secluded little inlet, almost hidden by the rocks on the other side of
+the house.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Come on, let&#8217;s have a look at it,&#8221; my companion urged; and we
+blundered down the side of the cliff and hurried along the shore. But
+when we came to the small bay which I had in mind there was certainly
+some sign of disturbance among the rough gravel with which the shore
+was carpeted; and that was all the evidence we could find.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It is such an ideal spot for the job that this almost knocks our
+theory on the head,&#8221; murmured Garnesk ruefully. &#8220;There are no
+boat-marks, or anything.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Which, in a way, bears out your diagnosis,&#8221; I cried, suddenly
+hitting on what I thought to be the solution of the difficulty.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How, in heaven&#8217;s name?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Our old friend the tide,&#8221; I declared, with returning confidence.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course,&#8221; he almost shouted. &#8220;I&#8217;ve got you, Ewart. The boat came in
+here while the tide was going out&mdash;when, in fact, it was some distance
+out, possibly nearly an hour after it ran into the other cove. Since
+then the tide has come in again and obliterated any marks the men may
+have made. If we find any evidence on a line running between this
+place and the house, we can call it a certainty.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>In feverish excitement we hurried towards the house, casting anxious
+glances to right and left, but the stubborn heather showed no sign of
+any recent passenger that way. At last Garnesk, who was some distance
+to my right, hailed me with an exultant shout. There, sure enough, was
+a broad patch bearing marks of recent occupation, much the same as the
+other at the top of the cliff. We were able easily to distinguish the
+exact spot where the thief had laid the unconscious dog while he put
+on his boots. The discovery of an unmistakable footprint in a more
+marshy spot, which could only have been imprinted by a stockinged
+foot, completed my friend&#8217;s triumph.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear fellow,&#8221; I cried heartily, slapping my companion on the back,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>
+&#8220;I congratulate you. If you go on like this we shall have the dog and
+the thief in no time.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It will be some days, even at this rate,&#8221; he warned me solemnly,
+&#8220;before we get as far as that. Now, back to the embarking-point, and
+see if we can reconstruct the thing fully.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So we retraced our steps, and studied the shingle once more, but
+failed to discover any marks of any value. Then we sat down, and the
+oculist drew a vivid picture of the journey the thief had made. At
+last, feeling more than satisfied with our work, we rose to go in to
+breakfast.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ewart, I want you to wire for that friend of yours before you do
+anything else. You may want him soon. I will leave by the morning
+train to-morrow, but I shall continue on this case till the mystery is
+solved. In the meantime, you will need someone you can trust at your
+side all the time.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll go into Glenelg, and wire immediately after breakfast,&#8221; I
+promised. &#8220;Hullo, more reflections,&#8221; I laughed, and pointed to a
+small, bright object some distance away on the rocks, which was
+catching the glint of the sun.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We seem to be surrounded by a spying army of glittering objects,&#8221;
+laughed my companion, as we strolled on. We had walked some forty
+yards when some instinct&mdash;I know not what&mdash;prompted me to investigate
+the affair. I turned back, and went to pick up the shining object,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>though for the life of me I could not have told you what I expected
+to find.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Garnesk!&#8221; I bawled. &#8220;Garnesk! Come here!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What is it?&#8221; he shouted to me, as he came hurtling over the rocks.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Look at it,&#8221; I replied tersely, and placed it in his outstretched
+palm. He glanced at it, and then at me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That settles it,&#8221; he said, and whistled softly, for I had found a
+small piece of brass, and on it was engraved:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Sholto, The Douglas, Invermalluch Lodge, Inverness-shire.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>It was the name-plate from Sholto&#8217;s collar.</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE MYSTERY OF SHOLTO.</h3>
+
+<p>We discussed our discovery pretty thoroughly on the way back to the
+house, and both agreed that it left no doubt upon one aspect of this
+strange affair&mdash;the man who stole Sholto was no ordinary thief.</p>
+
+<p>The General was standing on the verandah, looking about for us, as we
+came up the beach path. I told him of Garnesk&#8217;s deductions and their
+interesting result, and the old man was greatly affected.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I never dreamt I should live to see the old place abused in this
+shocking manner,&#8221; he grunted. &#8220;&#8217;Pon me soul, it&#8217;s&mdash;it&#8217;s begad
+disgraceful. I&#8217;ve lived here all my life, on and off, and I&#8217;ve never
+been troubled with anything like this, scarcely so much as a tramp
+even. I hope to God it&#8217;ll soon be over, that&#8217;s all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thanks to Mr. Garnesk, we&#8217;re moving along in the right direction,&#8221; I
+tried to reassure him. &#8220;And we have the satisfaction, in one way, of
+being able to tell Myra that Sholto is still alive, even if we don&#8217;t
+know where he is.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Seems to me, Ronald,&#8221; said the General,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> &#8220;you don&#8217;t know that, or
+anything about the poor beast, except that he has been stolen, and
+probably taken away in a boat. Judging by Mr. Garnesk&#8217;s theory, they
+probably threw him overboard in deep water.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No one who intended destroying a dog would take the trouble to wrench
+the name-plate off his collar,&#8221; I pointed out. &#8220;The dog is alive, and
+not unconscious. They need his collar to keep him in hand, but they
+are afraid the plate might give them away. Mr. Garnesk is right, I&#8217;m
+sure, and if we find the thief we find the cause for Myra&#8217;s terrible
+misfortune.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Where do you imagine they can have taken him to then? Seems to me
+we&#8217;re getting some pretty queer neighbours.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That is just what we have to find out,&#8221; said Garnesk, &#8220;and I for one
+will not rest until I do.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;&#8217;Pon my soul, my dear chap,&#8221; said the old man warmly, &#8220;it&#8217;s very good
+of you to take so much interest in the affairs of total strangers. It
+is, indeed, thundering good of you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not at all, General,&#8221; laughed the visitor. &#8220;If you spent your life
+trying to cure fussy ladies of imaginary eye trouble, without putting
+it to them that their livers are out of order, you&#8217;d welcome this as a
+very appetising antidote.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Talking about appetites,&#8221; his host suggested, &#8220;who says breakfast?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I fancy we both do,&#8221; I answered, and we turned indoors.</p>
+
+<p>During breakfast Garnesk announced his determination to devote as much
+of the day as necessary to an examination of Myra, and then <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>catch the
+evening train from Mallaig, but the girl herself rose in rebellion at
+this immediately.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You mustn&#8217;t do anything of the sort,&#8221; she declared emphatically.
+&#8220;Daddy, tell him he&#8217;s not to. The idea of coming up here, and looking
+at me, and then going away again! It&#8217;s ridiculous!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I assure you, it is ample reward,&#8221; declared the oculist gallantly,
+and everybody laughed at the frank compliment.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But you must fish the river, have a day on the loch. Ron must take
+you in the motor-boat up to Kinlochbourn. Then you&#8217;ve simply got to
+see Scavaig and Coruisk&mdash;oh! and a hundred other things besides.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk insisted that, much as he would like to stay, he felt bound to
+leave at once, but Myra was equally obstinate; and, as was natural,
+being a woman, she won on a compromise. Garnesk agreed to stay over
+the week-end. I was very glad that Myra liked my new friend. She had
+been very shy of Olvery, but she took an immediate fancy to the
+Glasgow specialist. She liked his voice, she told me afterwards, and
+on the second day of his visit she asked him if his sister was very
+much younger than he. Garnesk looked up in surprise.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;One of them is,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;nearly twenty years. What made you
+ask?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I guessed it by the way you talk to me,&#8221; Myra declared confidently.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;The detective instinct seems to be in the air,&#8221; I laughed.</p>
+
+<p>So when I borrowed Angus&#8217;s ramshackle old cycle, and went into Glenelg
+along a road which is more noteworthy for its picturesqueness than its
+navigable qualities, I left Garnesk to his examination with the
+knowledge that he would do his utmost, and that she would help him all
+she could.</p>
+
+<p>I wired to Dennis: &#8220;I can meet you at Mallaig Monday morning. Wire
+reply.&mdash;<span class="smcap">Ronald</span>.&#8221; Then I sent a couple of picture postcards to Tommy
+and Jack, wishing them luck, and explaining that I had not returned to
+join them because Myra was ill. I was sure Dennis would appreciate the
+urgency of my message, but I worded it carefully, deliberately making
+it appear to be the answer to an inquiry, for the reason that it is
+always wise to do as little as you can to stimulate local gossip.
+Anything like &#8220;Come at once; most urgent,&#8221; despatched by one who was
+known to be a visitor at the lodge, would have set the entire
+country-side talking. So I jumped on to Angus&#8217;s collection of old
+metal, and jolted back again as fast as I could. Garnesk was still
+engaged with Myra, and I took the opportunity of a chat with her
+father.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Would you care to see the discoveries we made this morning?&#8221; I asked,
+when I found him in the library.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, I should indeed, my boy,&#8221; he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>responded eagerly, and I think he
+was glad of the diversion. &#8220;I&#8217;ll come with you now.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;There is one thing I want to say, sir, before we go any farther.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What is it?&#8221; he asked, looking rather anxiously at me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I want to tell you,&#8221; I said, &#8220;that in the event of Myra not regaining
+her sight I should like your permission to marry her as soon as she
+herself wishes it. As you know, I have a small private income, which
+is sufficient for my needs in London, and would be more than I should
+require up here. If Myra is to be blind, I should like to marry her in
+order that I may always be able to take care of her, and I should
+propose to settle down somewhere near you. I dabble in contributory
+journalism, and I could extend that as far as possible, and I might
+even do pretty well at it. Both she and you would know then that, in
+the event of anything happening to you, she would be cared for by
+someone she loves.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear Ronald,&#8221; exclaimed the old man, affectionately laying a hand
+on my shoulder,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> &#8220;I&#8217;m very glad to hear you say that. As a matter of
+fact, whatever happens, I don&#8217;t care how soon you marry my dear girl.
+She wants it with all her heart, and I have always been fond of you
+myself. The only thing that has held me back up to now is the question
+of money, and, possibly, a little selfishness. I&#8217;m not a rich man, as
+you know, and if it were not for my pension I couldn&#8217;t even live in
+my father&#8217;s house. But now my one desire is to see my poor little girl
+happy, and we&#8217;ll scrape together a shilling or two somehow. Shake
+hands, my boy.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We both of us forgot all about the terrible war, and, naturally
+enough, the mysterious trouble which faced us then was sufficient for
+the moment. Having settled that question at last, I conducted the old
+man to the small cove where we had made our first discovery, but we
+began by visiting the coach-house. I daresay that to the trained eye
+there may have been valuable evidence lying under our very noses, but
+the only confused marks which we found on the surrounding ground
+conveyed nothing to either of us. Later, on our way back to the house,
+from what we now called &#8220;the embarking-point,&#8221; we came upon a spot
+where the heather had been cut off in fairly large quantities. The old
+man stood, and contemplated the shorn stumps for a moment, and shook
+his head solemnly. It was not that he had any sentimental regret for
+the heather which grew on almost every inch of ground for hundreds of
+miles round, but he objected to the sign of visitors, or, as he would
+have said, &#8220;trippers.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Who would want to cut heather here?&#8221; I asked, for I could not see the
+slightest reason for gathering anything which could be obtained at
+your door wherever you lived in the Highlands.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Holiday-makers,&#8221; he said ruefully. &#8220;They take rooms in the village,
+and get it into their heads that the heather in one spot is better
+than anything else for miles round, so they walk out to that spot, and
+cut some to take away with them when they go back home. I wish they&#8217;d
+always go back home and stop there.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>When I showed the General the keel-marks in the cove and explained to
+him in detail how Garnesk had arrived at his conclusions, the old man
+was quite awed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;&#8217;Pon me soul, he must be thundering clever, thundering clever,&#8221; he
+muttered. &#8220;But it&#8217;s not healthy, you know, Ronald; in fact, it&#8217;s begad
+unhealthy. I&#8217;ve always been a bit scared of these people who see
+things that are not there. Still, I suppose it&#8217;s the modern way;
+reading all these detective yarns and so on does it, no doubt.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>He was still marvelling at this new mystery when we got back to the
+house to find Myra sitting on the verandah with the specialist, who
+was keeping her in fits of laughter with anecdotes of some of his
+wealthy women patients.</p>
+
+<p>He sprang up as he saw us approaching, and ran down to meet us.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m certain of one thing,&#8221; he said excitedly, as he walked between
+us, and answered the General&#8217;s question.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> &#8220;We have got to solve the
+mystery, and she will see again. This is something new, but it has a
+very simple solution, which we must find out by hook or by crook.
+When I know how Miss McLeod lost her sight I shall very likely be able
+to find out how to restore it, and I shall also know something that
+perhaps no other oculist has ever dreamed of. There isn&#8217;t the
+slightest sign of any organic disease, which probably means that
+Nature will assert herself, and she will eventually regain her sight
+naturally. But we mustn&#8217;t wait for that. We&#8217;ve got to be up and doing.
+I tell you, sir, I wouldn&#8217;t have missed this for anything. Have you
+been exploring?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve been having a look at those marks which meant so much to you
+and conveyed nothing whatever to me, although I was once considered
+something of a scout,&#8221; the General admitted.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Did you find anything fresh?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No, only some trippers, as the General calls them, had been cutting
+heather,&#8221; I replied.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s not likely to help us much,&#8221; the oculist agreed, &#8220;unless they
+were not trippers at all, and were cutting the heather as a blind.
+What were they like?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, we didn&#8217;t see them. We only saw the results of their iconoclasm.
+The heather was recently, but not freshly, cut,&#8221; I replied, and the
+old man glanced at me with some slight suspicion, as if he feared I,
+too, was about to take up the deduction business.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Recent, but not fresh?&#8221; muttered Garnesk.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Now, why should a man who wanted&mdash;&mdash;Good heavens! I&#8217;ve got it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What <i>are</i> you dear people getting so excited about?&#8221; Myra asked, for
+by this time we had almost reached the verandah.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll tell you in a minute, dear,&#8221; I called, and waited for Garnesk
+to explain.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course,&#8221; he continued, as if thinking aloud, &#8220;it&#8217;s obvious. The
+man came ashore in a small boat, picked some heather, and carried it
+in his arms. Anyone who noticed him would have noticed his load of
+heather. Then he stole Sholto, concealed him under the heather, and
+was still apparently only carrying a bundle of innocent heath. Why!
+they seem to have thought of everything, and made no mistake.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Except that the man was wandering about the country-side, gathering
+wild flowers, in his stockinged soles,&#8221; I pointed out.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Still, it was almost dark, and he chanced that,&#8221; said Garnesk.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What I don&#8217;t understand about it is this,&#8221; the General joined in:
+&#8220;Where did he come from to gather this heather? A man must know that
+if he is seen to come ashore and pick heather and get into his boat
+again he is doing a very curious thing. That boat can only have come
+from Knoydart or Skye at the farthest, and everybody knows you
+wouldn&#8217;t take heather there.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Yes, I&#8217;m afraid you&#8217;re right, General,&#8221; Garnesk admitted, with a
+sigh of regret, and I was compelled to agree with him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I know where he came from, then.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>It was said so quietly that it startled us all, though it was Myra who
+spoke.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Where, then?&#8221; we all asked together.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He must have come from a yacht.&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE SECRET OF THE ROCK.</h3>
+
+<p>We made exhaustive inquiries everywhere, but no one had seen a yacht
+anchored or otherwise resting off the point the previous night. One or
+two vessels had been noticed passing the mouth of Loch Hourn during
+the evening, but they were mostly recognisable as belonging to
+residents in the neighbourhood, and in any case not one of them had
+been seen to drop the two men in a boat who were causing us so much
+anxiety. When Garnesk and I went up the river to the Chemist&#8217;s Rock we
+were equally unsuccessful there.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Look here,&#8221; I said, &#8220;suppose you were to go blind, Mr. Garnesk? I
+can&#8217;t allow you to run any risks of that sort. We have every reason to
+know that there is something gruesome and uncanny about this spot, and
+I should feel happier if you would keep at a safe distance.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How about yourself?&#8221; he replied.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a personal affair with me,&#8221; I pointed out, &#8220;but I can&#8217;t let your
+kindness in assisting us as you are doing run the length of possible
+blindness.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Nonsense, my dear fellow,&#8221; he exclaimed;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> &#8220;we&#8217;re in this together. I
+am just as keen to get to the bottom of this matter as you are. But it
+behoves us both to be careful. It is most important that you should
+take care of yourself at the present moment. What would happen to Miss
+McLeod if I carried you back to the house in a state of total
+blindness?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, I shall be all right,&#8221; I declared confidently. &#8220;But, of course,
+your point is a good one, and I shall not run any risks.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And yet you start by careering up the river here when we have very
+excellent reasons for supposing that it is hardly the place to spend a
+quiet afternoon.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You don&#8217;t really believe that there is anything curious about the
+river itself, do you?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;We have agreed that some human agency
+is responsible for the tragic affliction that has fallen upon poor
+Myra. In that case we are not safe anywhere.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s true enough,&#8221; he agreed, &#8220;but everything that has happened so
+far has happened here. Sooner or later, no doubt, the operations will
+be extended to some other region, but at present we know there is a
+possibility of our being overcome by some strange peril between the
+Chemist&#8217;s Rock and Dead Man&#8217;s Pool.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, as we don&#8217;t know how to deal with the danger when it does
+arrive,&#8221; I suggested, &#8220;suppose we see as much as we can from the
+banks. I will go up the centre of the stream and report to you, if you
+like, but you stay here.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;ll do nothing of the sort,&#8221; he cried.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> &#8220;I can&#8217;t imagine what we
+can possibly learn by standing on that rock, but if either of us goes,
+we go together, or I, in my capacity of bachelor unattached, go
+alone.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Naturally, I could only applaud such generous sentiments, and at the
+same time refuse to countenance his proposal. So we sat among the
+heather, some distance above the bank, and awaited developments.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It is four-twenty now,&#8221; said my companion presently, looking at his
+watch. &#8220;If anything is going to happen it should happen soon.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t you think it was mere coincidence that Myra&#8217;s blindness and the
+General&#8217;s strange illusion occurred about this time? Why should this
+green ray only be visible between four and five?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It hasn&#8217;t really been visible at all,&#8221; Garnesk pointed out. &#8220;Miss
+McLeod saw a green flash, and the General saw a green rock, which had
+taken upon itself the responsibilities of transportation. That&#8217;s all
+we know about the green ray, except the green veil that Miss McLeod
+tells us of. I don&#8217;t expect to see that.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I wish I knew what we did expect to see,&#8221; I sighed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Exactly,&#8221; he replied solemnly. &#8220;By the way,&#8221; he added after a pause,
+&#8220;do you see anything peculiar about the rocks or the pool between four
+and five; I mean anything that you couldn&#8217;t notice at any other time
+of the day?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Nothing at all,&#8221; I answered despondently;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> &#8220;it is pleasanter here then
+than at any other time&mdash;or was until we came under this mysterious
+spell.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why is it pleasanter?&#8221; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It is just then that it gets most sunshine,&#8221; I pointed out.</p>
+
+<p>I made the remark idly enough, for the course of the river, with its
+rugged banks and great massive rocks, looked particularly beautiful as
+the sun streamed full upon it, and I was immeasurably surprised when
+Garnesk jumped to his feet with a shout.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What is it?&#8221; I cried in alarm. &#8220;You&#8217;re not&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The sun, Ewart, the sun!&#8221; he exclaimed, and, snatching a pair of
+binoculars which I carried in my hand, he dashed up the slope to the
+foot of a cliff that overhung the stream. I gazed after him for a
+moment in astonishment, and then set out in pursuit.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Stop where you are, man!&#8221; he called to me as he turned, and saw me
+tearing after him. &#8220;No, no; I want you there. Don&#8217;t follow me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I did as I was told, for I trusted him implicitly, and I knew that he
+would not run any risk without first acquainting me of his intention,
+and I took it for granted that he had arranged a part for me to play,
+although he had not had time to tell me what it was. But my
+astonishment increased as I watched him climb the rock, for when he
+arrived a few feet from the summit he sat down on a ledge and calmly
+lighted a cigarette!</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;What is it all about?&#8221; I called to him, when I had fully recovered
+from my surprise.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I only wanted to have a look at the view,&#8221; he laughed back, and put
+the glasses to his eyes. First he examined the house, and then he
+turned his gaze in the direction of the sea. It was then that it
+dawned on me that he was looking for a yacht. This was the fateful
+hour, and it had naturally struck him that the unknown yacht might be
+in the vicinity.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; I shouted, &#8220;can you see the yacht?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;there&#8217;s nothing in sight, only a paddle steamer;
+looks like an excursion of some sort.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! that&#8217;s the <i>Glencoe</i>,&#8221; I explained; &#8220;she won&#8217;t help us at all.
+She runs with tourists from Mallaig.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;She seems to be barely able to take care of herself,&#8221; he laughed. &#8220;I
+shouldn&#8217;t like to be on her in a storm.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We conversed fairly easily while he was on the cliff, for we were not
+many yards apart, and I began to wonder when he was coming down again.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Have you any objection to my joining you?&#8221; I asked presently, as
+there seemed to be nothing for me to do below.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Stop where you are for a bit, old man,&#8221; he advised. &#8220;I shall be down
+in a minute.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;As long as you like,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;You&#8217;ve got a fine view from there,
+anyway. Don&#8217;t worry about me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p><p>I sat down on a rock, refilled my pipe, and prepared to wait till he
+rejoined me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hi! Ewart!&#8221; he called presently, for my mind had already wandered to
+that darkened &#8220;den&#8221; at the house.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hullo,&#8221; I answered, jumping to my feet. &#8220;What is it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Do you notice anything unusual?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I shouted, &#8220;nothing that&mdash;&mdash;,&#8221; but suddenly I felt a strange
+singing in my ears, my pulses quickened, my voice died away into
+nothing. I looked up at Garnesk; he was leaning perilously near the
+edge of the cliff waving to me. I saw his lips move, yet I heard no
+sound. My heart was thumping against my chest with audible beats. I
+looked round me in every direction. No, there was nothing strange
+happening that the eye could see, yet here was I with a choking
+pulsation in my throat. My temples too were throbbing like a couple of
+steam hammers. Again I looked up at Garnesk; he was climbing hurriedly
+down the cliff. He paused and waved to me, and again his lips moved,
+and again I heard nothing.</p>
+
+<p>Surely, I told myself, the events of the past few days had told on my
+strength. This was nerves, sheer nerves. Garnesk must give me his arm
+to the house. I would lie down and rest, and I should be all right in
+a few moments. It was nerves, that was all. But if Garnesk were not
+very quick about it I should have burst a blood-vessel in my brain
+before he reached me. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>Already my chest seemed to have swelled to
+twice its size. Garnesk, as I looked, seemed to be farther off than
+ever, a tiny speck in the distance.</p>
+
+<p>The singing in my ears became a rushing torrent. It was the waterfall,
+I told myself; how stupid of me! Of course I should be all right in a
+minute. But my friend must hurry. I collapsed on the rock and gasped
+for breath. I looked for Garnesk. Still he seemed to be as far away as
+ever, and he scarcely seemed to be moving at all. I must tell him to
+be quick. It was simply nerves, of course; but I mustn&#8217;t let them get
+the better of me, or what would poor Myra do? I staggered to my feet
+to call to Garnesk.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hurry up; I&#8217;m not well.&#8221; I framed the words in my brain, but no sound
+passed my lips. I struggled for breath, and called again with all the
+power I could muster. I could not hear myself speak. And then I
+understood! My knees rocked beneath me, the river swirled round me, a
+rowan tree rushed by me in a flash, and as I fell sprawling on my face
+among the heather a thousand hammers seemed to pound the hideous
+sickening truth into the heaving pulp that was once my brain.</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<h3>HOW THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.</h3>
+
+<p>When I came to myself I was lying with my head pillowed on Garnesk&#8217;s
+arm. My coat and collar were on the ground beside me, and my head and
+shoulders were dripping with water.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah!&#8221; said my companion, with a sigh of relief, &#8220;that&#8217;s better. You&#8217;ll
+be all right in a few minutes, Ewart. Take it easy, old chap, and
+rest.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Where am I?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;Good heavens!&#8221; I exclaimed, as I heard my own
+voice, and sat bolt upright in my astonishment, &#8220;I thought I was
+dumb!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, never mind about that now, old fellow,&#8221; Garnesk advised. &#8220;We&#8217;ll
+hear all about that later. Shut your eyes and rest a minute.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;All right,&#8221; I agreed, &#8220;pass me my pipe and I will.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk laughed aloud as he leaned over to reach my coat pocket.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When a man shouts for his pipe he&#8217;s a long way from being dead or
+dumb or anything else,&#8221; he said.</p>
+
+<p>Truth to tell, I was feeling very queer. I was dizzy and confused, but
+I felt that I wanted my pipe to help me collect my thoughts. So I lay
+there for some minutes quietly smoking, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>and indeed I felt as if I
+could have stayed like that for ever.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I must have fainted,&#8221; I explained presently, overlooking the fact
+that Garnesk probably knew more about my ridiculous seizure than I did
+myself. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know when I did a thing like that before,&#8221; I added,
+beginning to get angry with myself.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, I hope you won&#8217;t do it again,&#8221; said my friend fervently. &#8220;It&#8217;s
+not a thing to make a hobby of. And don&#8217;t you come near this infernal
+river any more until we know something definite.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You mean that the place has got on my nerves,&#8221; I said. &#8220;I suppose it
+has; I&#8217;m very sorry.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Do you feel well enough to tell me all about it?&#8221; he asked, &#8220;or would
+you rather wait till we get up to the house?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, I&#8217;ll tell you now,&#8221; I agreed readily. &#8220;We mustn&#8217;t say anything
+about this at the house.&#8221; So I told him exactly how I had felt.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When did it first come on?&#8221; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When I heard you shout, and jumped up to see what it was. By the way,
+what was it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; he replied, &#8220;we&#8217;ll discuss the matter if you wouldn&#8217;t mind
+releasing my arm?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear fellow,&#8221; I cried, sitting up suddenly, as I realised that he
+was still propping up my head, &#8220;I&#8217;m most awfully sorry.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now then,&#8221; he said, as he lighted his pipe and made himself
+comfortable,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> &#8220;we&#8217;ll go into the latest development. You remember what
+made me rush off and leave you there?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I remember saying something about the sunlight, and you suddenly
+dashed off.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;To tell you the truth, I had very little faith in the theory that at
+this hour, above all, the spook of the Chemist&#8217;s Rock was active,
+until you pointed out that only about that time is the whole of the
+river course up to the rock, and the whole of the rock itself, flooded
+with sunlight. Then, when you made that remark, I suddenly felt that I
+ought to be on the cliff on the look out for this unknown yacht. We
+connect the two together in some way which we don&#8217;t yet understand, so
+I meant to go and have a look for the ship. I saw nothing of any
+importance until I shouted to you. Just then I was looking through the
+glasses at the shore. I turned them on the landing-stage and along the
+beach, and I had just lighted on the bay where we explored this
+morning when suddenly, for half a second or so, all the shadows of the
+rocks turned a vivid green, and then as suddenly resumed their natural
+colour again.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good heavens!&#8221; I exclaimed. &#8220;Green again! Can you make anything of it
+at all, Garnesk? I&#8217;m sorry I&#8217;m such a duffer as to faint at the
+critical moment, when I might have been of some assistance to you.
+What in God&#8217;s name can it all mean?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m no further on,&#8221; he replied bitterly; &#8220;in fact, I&#8217;m further back.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Further back!&#8221; I cried. &#8220;How? I don&#8217;t see how you can be.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll tell you what my theory was about all this affair, and it struck
+me as a good one&mdash;strange, of course, but then, this is a strange
+business.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It is, indeed,&#8221; I agreed ruefully. &#8220;Well, go on.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I had an idea, Ewart, that we should find some sort of wireless
+telegraphy at the bottom of this business. I had almost made up my
+mind that we had stumbled across the path of some inventor who was
+working with a new form of wireless transmission. I felt that in that
+way we might account for Miss McLeod&#8217;s blindness and the blindness of
+the dog. It also seemed to hold good as to the disappearance of
+Sholto. The inventor hears of the extraordinary effect of his
+invention, and is afraid he will get into a mess if it is found out.
+The yacht to experiment from fitted in beautifully. But now all that&#8217;s
+knocked on the head.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why?&#8221; I asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> &#8220;It seems to me, Garnesk, that you are doing all the
+thinking in this affair, as if you had been used to it all your life.
+Your only trouble is that you&#8217;re too modest. I take it that because
+you didn&#8217;t see the yacht when you noticed the green flash you are
+taking it for granted you were wrong to expect it. I must say, old
+chap, I think you&#8217;ve done thundering well, as the General would put
+it, and even if you are prepared to admit your theory has been
+knocked on the head I&#8217;m not&mdash;at any rate, not until I have a jolly
+good reason. Yet it doesn&#8217;t seem to matter much what I say or do if
+I&#8217;m going to faint like a girl at the first sign of danger. If you
+hadn&#8217;t come to my rescue I might still be lying there waiting to come
+round, or something,&#8221; I finished in disgust.</p>
+
+<p>My companion looked at me thoughtfully.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ewart,&#8221; he said, and solemnly shook his head, &#8220;you have brought me to
+the very thing that made me say my theory was exploded.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What thing?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;Surely my fainting can&#8217;t have made any
+difference to conclusions you had already come to?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But then you see,&#8221; my friend replied, &#8220;you didn&#8217;t faint. And if I had
+not seen you were in difficulties you would probably never have
+recovered.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Didn&#8217;t faint?&#8221; I exclaimed. &#8220;Well, I don&#8217;t know what the medical term
+for it is, and I daresay there are several technical phrases for the
+girlish business I went through. That idea of being dumb was simply
+imagination, but I assure you it was just what I should call a
+fainting fit.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to alarm you if you&#8217;re not feeling well,&#8221; he began
+apologetically.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Go on,&#8221; I urged. &#8220;I&#8217;m as fit as I ever was.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; the young specialist responded, in a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>serious tone, &#8220;if you
+want to know the truth, Ewart, you were suffocated.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Suffocated!&#8221; I shouted, jumping to my feet. &#8220;What in heaven&#8217;s name do
+you mean?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t tell you exactly what I mean because I don&#8217;t know, but yours
+was certainly not an ordinary fainting fit. To put the whole thing in
+non-medical terms, you were practically drowned on dry land!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I sat down again&mdash;heavily at that. Should we never come to an end of
+these mysterious attacks which were hurled at us in broad daylight
+from nowhere at all?</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure that you hadn&#8217;t better rest before we go into this
+fully, Ewart,&#8221; Garnesk remarked doubtfully. &#8220;You&#8217;re not by any means
+as fit as you&#8217;ve ever been, in spite of your emphatic assurance.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Tell me what you think, why you think it, and what you feel we ought
+to do. Why, man, Myra might have been here alone, with no one to
+rescue her and&mdash;and&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Quite so,&#8221; said Ewart sympathetically. &#8220;So you must comfort yourself
+with the knowledge that it may be a great blessing that she has
+temporarily lost her sight. Now, I say you didn&#8217;t faint, because,
+medically, I know you didn&#8217;t. For the same reason I say you were
+suffocating as surely as if you had been drowning. Hang it, my dear
+chap, it&#8217;s my line of business, you know. I can&#8217;t account for it, but
+there is the naked fact for you.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;How does this affect your previous conclusions?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;Before you
+tell me what you think brought on this suffocation I should like to
+hear why you give up your theory.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Simply because no wireless, or other electric current, could have
+that effect upon you. If you had had an electric shock in any of its
+many curious forms I could have said it bore me out; but, you see,
+it&#8217;s impossible. And, as I refuse to believe that we are continually
+bumping into new mysteries which have no connection with each other,
+it follows that if this suffocation was not caused by the supposed
+wireless experiments, the other can&#8217;t have been either.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not making the slightest imputation on your medical knowledge,&#8221; I
+ventured, &#8220;but are you absolutely certain that you are not mistaken?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;My dear fellow,&#8221; he laughed, &#8220;for goodness sake don&#8217;t be so
+apologetic. I can quite see that you find it difficult to believe. But
+I am prepared to swear to it all the same. For one thing, the symptoms
+were unmistakable; for another, it seems impossible that we should
+both faint at exactly the same time and place for no reason at all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You didn&#8217;t faint too, surely?&#8221; I cried.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; he admitted,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> &#8220;but we might very easily have been suffocated
+together&mdash;smothered as surely as the princes in the Tower. When I saw
+you were in difficulties I shouted to you. Obviously you didn&#8217;t hear
+me. I naturally didn&#8217;t wait to see what would happen to you; I
+cleared down the cliff, and sprinted to you as fast as I could. When I
+came to within about twenty yards of you I found a difficulty in
+breathing. I went on for a couple of paces, and realised that the air
+was almost as heavy as water. So I rushed back, undid my collar, took
+a deep breath; and bolted in to you, picked you up, and carted you
+here. <i>Voil&agrave;!</i> But I very nearly joined you on the ground, and then we
+would never have regained consciousness, either of us. I applied the
+simplest form of artificial respiration to you, dowsed your head, and
+now you&#8217;re all right. On the whole, Ewart, we can consider ourselves
+very well out of this latest adventure.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What you&#8217;re really telling me,&#8221; I pointed out gratefully, &#8220;is that
+you saved my life at the risk of your own. I&#8217;m no good at making
+speeches, or anything of that sort, Garnesk, but I thank you, if you
+know what that means. And Myra will&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not a word to her, Ewart,&#8221; my companion interrupted eagerly.
+&#8220;Whatever you do, don&#8217;t on any account worry that poor girl with this
+new complication. Anything on earth but that.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I agreed; &#8220;you&#8217;re right there. Myra must be kept in the dark.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he replied, with a look of relief.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> &#8220;It might have a serious
+effect on her chances of recovery if she had this additional worry.
+And I don&#8217;t think it would be advisable to tell the old man either. I
+think we had better keep it to ourselves absolutely. Tell no one,
+Ewart, except your friend when he comes.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Very well,&#8221; I answered, for I was very anxious to spare both Myra and
+her father from the knowledge of any further trouble. &#8220;I&#8217;ll tell
+Dennis when he comes, but otherwise it is our secret.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good,&#8221; said Garnesk. &#8220;Now put your coat on, old chap, and we&#8217;ll
+stroll back to the house.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I got up and buttoned my collar, retied my bow, and slipped into my
+jacket. I was rather uncomfortably damp, and I felt a bit shaky and
+queer, and decided that I could do with a complete rest from the
+mysteries of the green ray. But the subject remained uppermost in my
+mind, and my tired brain still strove to unravel the tangled threads
+of the puzzle.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By the way,&#8221; I said, as we walked slowly up to the house, &#8220;you have
+not yet explained what there was in my remark about the sunlight that
+made you think of the yacht.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; he replied,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> &#8220;you see I had an idea that perhaps they might
+come here when the gorge, through which the river flows, was flooded
+with light, so that they could see if any strange effects were
+produced. But that suffocation was not brought about by any electrical
+experiment, and I am beginning to be afraid that, after all, we may be
+up against some strange natural phenomena, some terrible combination
+of the forces of Nature, which has not yet been observed, or at any
+rate recorded.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why afraid?&#8221; I asked, for although I had been glad to believe that we
+were faced with a problem which would prove to have a human solution,
+the revulsion had come, and I should have welcomed the knowledge that
+some weird, freakish application of natural power might be held
+accountable.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Afraid?&#8221; queried Garnesk, with a note of surprise. &#8220;I am very often
+afraid of Nature. She is a devoted slave, but a cruel mistress. I
+don&#8217;t think that I should ever be very much scared by a human being,
+even in his most fiendish aspect, but Nature&mdash;I tell you, Ewart, there
+are things in Nature that make me shudder!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I agreed heavily, &#8220;you&#8217;re right, of course. That&#8217;s how I have
+felt for the past twenty-four hours. It was a tremendous relief to me
+to feel that we were men looking for men. But the last few minutes I
+have had an idea that it would be comforting to explain it all out of
+a text-book of physics. Still, you&#8217;re right. It is better far to be
+men fighting men than to be puny molecules tossed in the ma&euml;lstrom of
+immutable power which created the world, and may one day destroy it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m glad you agree,&#8221; he said simply.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> &#8220;You see you could not possibly
+live for a second in electrically produced atmosphere which was so
+thick that you couldn&#8217;t hear yourself speak. Death would be
+instantaneous. It couldn&#8217;t have been our unknown professor&#8217;s wireless
+experiments after all. Yet it seems impossible that a sudden new power
+should crop up suddenly at one spot like this. Imagine what would
+happen if this had occurred in a city, in a crowded street. Hundreds
+would have been stricken blind, then hundreds would have been
+suffocated. Vehicles would have run amok, and the result would have
+been an indescribable chaos of the maimed, mangled and distraught. A
+flash like this green ray (which blinded Miss McLeod and her dog,
+deluded the General, and nearly suffocated us) at the mouth of a
+harbour, say, the entrance to a great port&mdash;Liverpool, London, or
+Glasgow&mdash;would be responsible for untold loss of life. If this
+terrible phenomenon spread, Ewart, it would paralyse the industry of
+the world in twenty-four hours. If it spread still farther the face of
+the globe would become the playing-fields of Bedlam in a moment. Think
+of the result of this everywhere! Some suffocated, some blinded, and
+millions probably mad and sightless, stumbling over the bodies of the
+dead to cut each other&#8217;s throats in the frenzy of sudden imbecility.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t, Garnesk,&#8221; I begged. &#8220;It won&#8217;t bear thinking about. We have
+enough troubles here to deal with without that!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; my companion admitted,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> &#8220;we need not add to them by any idle
+conjectures of still more hideous horrors to come. But it is an
+interesting, if terrible speculation. And it means one thing to us,
+Ewart, of the very greatest importance. We must solve the riddle
+somehow.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You mean,&#8221; I cried, as I realised the tremendous import of his
+words&mdash;&#8220;you mean that the sanity of the universe may rest with us! You
+mean that if we can solve this riddle we, or others, may be able to
+devise some means of prevention, or at least protection? You mean that
+we are in duty bound to keep at this night and day until we find out
+what it is?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That is just what I do mean,&#8221; he replied seriously. &#8220;It is a solemn
+duty; who knows, it may be a holy trust. Ewart, we agree to get to the
+bottom of this? We have agreed once, but are we still prepared to go
+on with this now that we know we may be crushed in the machinery that
+controls the solar system and lights the very sun?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall certainly go on,&#8221; I replied eagerly. &#8220;But we can hardly
+expect you to run risks on our behalf.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It may be in the interests of civilisation,&#8221; he answered,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> &#8220;and in
+that case it is our duty. Now look here, Ewart, this will have to be a
+secret. It is essential that we should not get ourselves laughed at
+because, for one thing, the scoffers may get into serious trouble if
+they start investigating our assertions in a spirit of levity. You
+and I must keep this to ourselves entirely. What about your friend?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I can trust him,&#8221; I replied simply.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Then tell him everything,&#8221; Garnesk advised. &#8220;If you know you can rely
+upon him he may be of great assistance to us.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What about Hilderman?&#8221; I asked. &#8220;He knows a good deal already.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;There is no need for him to know any more. He may be of some use to
+us. I had thought he might be of the greatest use, but he may be able
+to help us still. We should decrease, rather than augment, his
+usefulness by telling him these new complications.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How do you mean?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, for instance, he might think we are mad, although he&#8217;s a very
+shrewd fellow.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I agreed, &#8220;I think he&#8217;s pretty cute. Funny that Americans so
+often are. Anyway, he&#8217;s been cute enough to make sufficient to retire
+on at a fairly early age, and retire comfortably too.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;H&#8217;m,&#8221; was my companion&#8217;s only comment.</p>
+
+<p>After dinner that evening we discussed all sorts of subjects, mainly
+the war, of course, and went to bed early.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now, Ron,&#8221; exclaimed Myra, as we said good-night, &#8220;if Mr. Garnesk is
+really going to leave us on Monday, you mustn&#8217;t let him worry about
+things to-morrow. Do let him have one day&#8217;s holiday while he is with
+us, anyway.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I will,&#8221; I agreed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> &#8220;We&#8217;ll have a real holiday to-morrow. Suppose we
+all go up Loch Hourn in the motor-boat in the afternoon?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So it was arranged that we should have an afternoon on the sea and a
+morning&#8217;s fishing on the loch. Garnesk fell in with the idea readily.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It will do you good,&#8221; he declared. &#8220;You won&#8217;t be feeling too frisky
+in the morning after your adventure this afternoon.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>As it turned out he was quite right, for I awoke in the morning with a
+slight headache and a tendency to ache all over. So we fished the loch
+in a very leisurely fashion for an hour or two, and after lunch the
+four of us went up to Kinlochbourn. We took a tea-basket with us, and
+very nearly succeeded in banishing the green ray altogether from our
+minds. I had taken my Kodak with me, and we ran in shore, and
+otherwise altered our course occasionally in order to enable me to
+record some choice peep of the magnificent scenery. When we got back
+to the lodge we were all feeling much the better for the outing. After
+dinner Myra, who had taken the greatest interest in the photographs,
+although, poor child, she could not see what I had taken, and would
+not be able to see the result either, was anxious to know how they had
+turned out.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should love to know if the snapshots are good,&#8221; she said,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span>
+&#8220;particularly the one at Caolas Mor. Develop them in the morning,
+Ronnie, won&#8217;t you? If you don&#8217;t you&#8217;ll probably take them away, and
+forget all about them.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk looked at me. He was always on the <i>qui vive</i> for any
+opportunity to give Myra a little pleasure. He felt very strongly that
+she must be kept from worrying at all costs.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why not develop them now, Ewart?&#8221; he suggested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Certainly,&#8221; I said, &#8220;if everybody will excuse me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Dad&#8217;s in the library,&#8221; Myra replied, &#8220;but everybody else will come
+with you if you ask us nicely. Besides, I shall have to tell you where
+everything is. There&#8217;s plenty of room for us all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Right you are,&#8221; I agreed readily, and went out to get a small folding
+armchair from the verandah. We went up to the dark-room at the top of
+the house, and Myra sat in the corner, giving me instructions as to
+the position of the bottles, etc. I prepared the developer while
+Garnesk busied himself with the fixing acid.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now we&#8217;re ready,&#8221; I announced, as I made sure that the light-tight
+door was closed, and lowered the ruby glass over the orange on Myra&#8217;s
+imposing dark-room lamp; she believed in doing things comfortably; no
+messing about with an old-fashioned &#8220;hock-bottle&#8221; for her. I took the
+spool from my pocket and began to develop them <i>en bloc</i>.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How are they coming along?&#8221; Myra asked, leaning forward interestedly.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;They&#8217;re beginning to show up,&#8221; I replied; &#8220;they look rather
+promising.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s rather warm in here,&#8221; said the girl presently; &#8220;do you think it
+would matter if I removed my shade, Mr. Garnesk?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not if you put it on again before we put the light up,&#8221; the
+specialist answered. Myra took off the shade and the heavy bandage
+with a sigh of relief, and leaned her elbow on the table beside her.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s a glass beaker just by your arm, dear,&#8221; I said; &#8220;just a
+minute and I&#8217;ll put it out of reach.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;All right,&#8221; said Garnesk, moving forward, &#8220;I&#8217;ll move it; don&#8217;t you
+worry.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>But before he could reach the table there was a crash. The beaker went
+smashing to the floor. I turned with a laugh, which died on my lips.
+Myra was standing up with her hand to her head.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What is it, darling?&#8221; I cried, dropping the length of film on the
+floor. Garnesk made a grab for the shade. Myra gave a short, shrill
+little laugh, which had a slightly ominous, hysterical note in it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t be alarmed, dear,&#8221; she said quietly, in a curiously tense
+voice, &#8220;<i>I can see!</i>&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+
+<h3>WHO IS HILDERMAN?</h3>
+
+<p>I must admit that I was so delighted to find that Myra had recovered
+her sight that I very nearly made what might have been a very serious
+mistake. I gave a loud shout of triumph and made a dive for the light,
+intending to switch it on. This might, of course, have had a very bad
+effect upon my darling&#8217;s eyes, but fortunately Garnesk darted across
+the room and knocked up my arm in the nick of time.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not yet, Ewart, not yet,&#8221; he warned me. &#8220;We must run no risks until
+we are quite sure.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But, Ronnie, I can see quite well,&#8221; Myra declared delightedly. &#8220;I see
+everything just as easily as I usually can by the light of the
+dark-room lamp.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Still, we won&#8217;t expose you to the glare of white light just at
+present, Miss McLeod,&#8221; said Garnesk solemnly. &#8220;We must be very
+careful. Tell me, how did your sight return, gradually or suddenly?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Suddenly, I think,&#8221; the girl replied. &#8220;I took off the shade and laid
+it down, and then when I looked up I could distinctly see the lamp.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Immediately the shade was removed?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; she answered,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> &#8220;not just immediately. You see, I was looking at
+the floor, which is so dark, of course, that you couldn&#8217;t see it in
+the ordinary way. Then as soon as I looked up I could see the lamp.
+For a moment I thought it was my imagination, but when I found I could
+see Ron stooping over the developing-dish I knew that I was all right
+again.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;This is very extraordinary, you know,&#8221; said Garnesk. &#8220;Can you count
+the bottles on the middle shelf?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, yes!&#8221; laughed Myra, &#8220;I can make them out distinctly. Of course, I
+know pretty well what they are, but in any case I could easily
+describe them to you if I&#8217;d never seen them before.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What have I got in my hand?&#8221; the specialist queried, holding his arm
+out.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;A pair of nail-clippers,&#8221; Myra declared emphatically, and Garnesk
+laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; he said, &#8220;you can obviously see it pretty well; but, as a
+matter of fact, it&#8217;s a cigar-cutter.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! well, you see,&#8221; the girl explained airily, &#8220;I always put
+necessity before luxury!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So then the oculist made her sit down again and questioned and
+cross-questioned her at considerable length.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m puzzled, but delighted,&#8221; he admitted finally. &#8220;It&#8217;s strange, but
+it is at the same time decidedly hopeful.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I suppose it means that she will always be able to see in a red light
+at any rate?&#8221; I suggested.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Probably it does,&#8221; he agreed, &#8220;and, of course, her sight may be
+completely restored. There is also a middle course; she may be able to
+see perfectly after a course of treatment in red light. I will get her
+a pair of red glasses made at once. We can see how that goes. But I
+feel that it would be advisable to introduce her to daylight in
+gradual stages, in case of any risk.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, if we could only find poor old Sholto!&#8221; Myra exclaimed eagerly.
+Garnesk turned to her with a look of frank admiration.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re a lucky young dog, Ewart,&#8221; he whispered to me, &#8220;by Jove you
+are!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So Myra graciously, but a little regretfully I think, placed herself
+in the hands of the young specialist and replaced her shade. Then we
+left the dark-room, allowing the films to develop out on the floor,
+and went downstairs. We took her out on to the verandah and removed
+the shade for a moment, but the chill air of the highland night made
+her eyes smart after their unaccustomed imprisonment, and we gave up
+the experiment for that night.</p>
+
+<p>As Garnesk and I bathed together in the morning we were both brighter
+and more cheerful than we had been since his arrival.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall catch the train from Mallaig,&#8221; he declared. &#8220;Can you take me
+in and meet your friend without having long to wait?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;If you insist on going,&#8221; I replied,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> &#8220;I can get you there in time to
+meet him and you will have an hour or more to wait for your train.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, so much the better! We can tell him everything and give him all
+the news in the interval.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Are you still determined to go?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he said, &#8220;I <i>must</i> go. It will be necessary for me to make one
+or two inquiries and get a pair of glasses made for Miss McLeod.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall be very sorry to lose you, Garnesk,&#8221; I said earnestly. &#8220;Don&#8217;t
+you think you could write or wire for the glasses? You see, if we have
+come to the conclusion that this green ray is some chemical production
+of Nature unassisted there isn&#8217;t the same reason for you to leave us.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No, that&#8217;s true,&#8221; he agreed, &#8220;but we were both a bit scared
+yesterday, old chap, and the more I think of this dog business the
+less I like it. It was mere conceit on my part that made me say it was
+bound to be some natural phenomenon merely because I couldn&#8217;t
+understand how the effect could have been humanly produced.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Perhaps,&#8221; I suggested, &#8220;our best course would be to keep an open mind
+about the whole thing.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he replied,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> &#8220;I&#8217;m with you entirely. And in that case my going
+away is not going to aggravate the effects of a natural phenomenon,
+while it may restrain the human agency by removing the necessity for
+further activity.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, that&#8217;s sound enough,&#8221; I acquiesced; &#8220;but I shall hear from you,
+I hope?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course, my dear fellow,&#8221; he laughed, &#8220;we&#8217;re in this thing
+together. You&#8217;ll hear from me as often as you want, and who knows what
+else besides. I have no intention of dropping this for a minute,
+Ewart. But I think I can do more if I am not on the spot. We&#8217;re agreed
+that my presence here may be a source of danger to you all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I said, &#8220;I think yours is the best plan. What do you propose to
+do?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, to begin with, I shall devote an hour or two to knocking our
+panic theory on the head.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You mean the natural phenomenon idea?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Precisely,&#8221; said he. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think that it will be able to exist
+very long in the light of physical knowledge&mdash;not that that is a very
+powerful light, but it should be strong enough for our purpose. As
+soon as I have convinced myself that our enemy is a mere human being I
+shall take such steps as I may think necessary at the time. Then, of
+course, I shall acquaint you with the steps that I have taken, and we
+shall work together and round up our man, and, figuratively speaking,
+make him swallow his hideous green ray.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What sort of steps do you mean?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, that all depends,&#8221; my friend <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>answered, &#8220;on what sort of man we
+have to deal with. But it will certainly include providing ourselves
+with the necessary means of self-defence, and may run to calling in
+the assistance of the authorities.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure that the presence of the police in a quiet spot like
+this might not have a disastrous effect on our plans,&#8221; I pointed out.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shouldn&#8217;t worry about the police,&#8221; he laughed. &#8220;I should make for
+the naval chaps. I&#8217;m rather pally with them just now; I&#8217;m booked up to
+do some work of various descriptions for the period of the war, and I
+think if I can give them the promise of a little fun and excitement
+they would be willing to help.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Which indeed they could,&#8221; I agreed readily. &#8220;Any attempt our enemy
+might make to get away from us would probably mean a bolt for the open
+sea, and a few dozen dreadnoughts would be cheerful companionship.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Garnesk laughed, and we strolled up to the house, putting the
+finishing touches to our toilet as we went. Shortly after breakfast we
+made ready for our trip to Mallaig. Myra was very anxious to come with
+us until I explained that we should have to wait there till we had met
+Dennis and seen the specialist off. She was naturally sensitive about
+appearing in public with the shade on, poor child, so she readily gave
+up the idea.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very sorry you&#8217;re going, Mr. Garnesk,&#8221; said Myra, as she shook
+hands.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I shall see you again soon,&#8221; he replied. &#8220;I have by no means finished
+with your case, and as soon as you report the effect of the glasses I
+shall send you&#8217;ll see me come tripping in one afternoon, or else I
+shall ask you to come down to me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s very good of you to take so much trouble about it,&#8221; said Myra
+gratefully.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not at all,&#8221; he responded lightly. &#8220;It is a pleasure, Miss McLeod, I
+assure you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The old general was still more effusive of his gratitude, and as he
+waved good-bye from the landing-stage his face was almost comically
+eloquent of regret.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By the way,&#8221; said Garnesk as we passed Glasnabinnie, &#8220;don&#8217;t tell
+Hilderman much about what has happened. We feel we can trust him, but
+you never know a man&#8217;s propensity for talking until you know him very
+well.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Right,&#8221; I agreed. &#8220;I&#8217;ll take care of that. We can&#8217;t afford to get
+this talked about. It would be very painful for Myra and her father if
+it became the chatter of the country-side.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Besides,&#8221; Garnesk pointed out, &#8220;it will be much safer to be quiet
+about it. If we are dealing with men they will probably prove to be
+desperate men, and we don&#8217;t want to run any risks that we can avoid.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; said I, &#8220;this is going to be quite unpleasant enough without
+looking for trouble.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So when we arrived in Mallaig and met <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>Hilderman on the fish-table I
+was careful to remember my companion&#8217;s advice.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah, Mr. Ewart!&#8221; the American exclaimed in surprise, &#8220;How are you? And
+you, Professor? I hope your visit has proved entirely satisfactory.
+How is Miss McLeod?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Just the same, I am sorry to say,&#8221; Garnesk replied glibly. &#8220;There is
+no sign at all of her sight returning. I can make nothing of it
+whatever.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Dear, dear, Professor!&#8221; Hilderman exclaimed, with a shake of the
+head. &#8220;That is very bad, very bad indeed. Haven&#8217;t you even any idea as
+to how the poor young lady lost her sight?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;None whatever,&#8221; said Garnesk, with a hopeless little shrug. &#8220;I can&#8217;t
+imagine anything, and I&#8217;m not above admitting that I know nothing.
+There is no use my pretending I can do anything for poor Miss McLeod
+when I feel convinced that I can&#8217;t.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;So you&#8217;ve given it up altogether, Mr. Garnesk?&#8221; Hilderman asked, as
+we strolled to the station.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What else can I do?&#8221; the oculist replied. &#8220;I can&#8217;t stop up here for
+ever, much as I should prefer to stay until I had done something for
+my patient.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You have my sympathy, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; said Hilderman in a friendly voice.
+&#8220;It is a terrible blow for you all. I fervently hope that something
+may yet be done for the poor young lady.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I hope so too,&#8221; I answered, with a heavy sigh, but the sigh was
+merely a convincing response to the lead Garnesk had given me, for, as
+a matter of fact, I was quite certain that we had found the basis of
+complete cure.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; Hilderman muttered, as if thinking aloud, &#8220;it is a very
+terrible and strange affair altogether. Have you had any news about
+the dog?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;None whatever,&#8221; I replied, this time with perfect truth.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Surely you must suspect somebody, though,&#8221; the American urged. &#8220;It is
+a very sparsely populated neighbourhood, you know.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We can&#8217;t actually suspect anybody, nevertheless,&#8221; said I. &#8220;On the one
+hand, it may have been an ordinary, uninteresting thief who stole the
+dog with a view to selling him again. On the other hand&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; said Hilderman with interest, as I paused, &#8220;on the other
+hand?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It may have been someone who had other reasons for stealing him,&#8221; I
+concluded.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t quite follow you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ewart means,&#8221; said Garnesk, cutting in eagerly, evidently fearing
+that I was about to make some indiscreet disclosure of our suspicions,
+though I had not the slightest intention of doing so,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> &#8220;Ewart means
+that it may have been someone who regarded the dog as a personal
+enemy. Miss McLeod informs us that there was a man in the hills,
+ostensibly a crofter, who disliked Sholto, quite unreasonably. He
+drove the dog away from his croft and was very rude to Miss McLeod
+about it. She suspected an illicit still, and thought the fellow was
+afraid Sholto might nose out his secret and give the show away.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah!&#8221; said Hilderman. &#8220;An illicit still, eh! Where was this still, or,
+rather, where was the croft?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I remembered that Myra had told us it was somewhere up Suardalan way,
+above Tor Beag, and I was just about to explain, when I felt my
+friend&#8217;s boot knock sharply against my ankle. Taking this as a hint
+and not an accident, I promptly lied.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It was miles away,&#8221; I announced readily, &#8220;away up on The Saddle. Miss
+McLeod wanders pretty far afield with Sholto at times.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Indeed,&#8221; said the American, &#8220;I should think that might be quite a
+likely explanation, and rather a suitable place for a still, too. I
+climbed The Saddle some months ago with an enthusiastic friend of
+mine. We went by water to Invershiel, and then drove up the Glen. I
+shouldn&#8217;t like to walk from Invermalluch and back; there are several
+mountains in between, and surely there is no road.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Evidently our shrewd companion suspected that I had either made a
+mistake or deliberately told him an untruth, but I was quite ready for
+him. I had no time to consider the ethics of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>matter. I was out to
+obey what I took to be my instructions, and obey them I did.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, there are quite a lot of ways of getting there,&#8221; I replied
+airily; &#8220;but perhaps the easiest would be to take the motor-boat to
+Corran and walk up the Arnisdale, or follow the road to Corran and
+then up the river. Miss McLeod has her own ways of getting about this
+country, though, and she may even know some way of avoiding the
+difficulties of the Sgriol and the other intervening mountains.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman looked at me in considerable surprise for a moment.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You seem to know the district pretty well yourself, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he
+remarked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, I ought to,&#8221; I explained; &#8220;I was born in Glenmore.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, I didn&#8217;t know that,&#8221; he murmured; &#8220;that accounts for it, then.&#8221;
+And at that moment we heard the train approaching, and we hurried into
+the station to meet our respective visitors.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Fact or fancy?&#8221; asked Garnesk in an undertone as we strolled down the
+platform, Hilderman having hurried on ahead.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Fancy,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;I took it you wanted me to avoid giving him the
+precise details.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, I did,&#8221; he laughed. &#8220;But you certainly made them precise enough.
+It is better to be careful how you explain these things to strangers.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why?&#8221; I asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> &#8220;If we suspected Hilderman I should be inclined to
+agree with you that we should feed him up with lies; and if you think
+it will help us at all to suspect him I&#8217;m on at once. But as we both
+feel that his disposition is friendly and that we have no cause to
+doubt him, what is your reason for putting him off the scent every
+time? I know you well enough by this time to feel sure that you
+haven&#8217;t been making these cryptic remarks for the sake of hearing
+yourself speak.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Here&#8217;s the train,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;ll tell you later.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I looked along the carriages for Dennis, but I had evidently missed
+him, for as I turned back along the platform I found him looking round
+for me, standing amid the <i>m&ecirc;l&eacute;e</i> of tourists and fisherfolk, keepers
+and valets, sportsmen and dogs, which is typical of the West Highland
+terminus in early August, and which seemed little affected by the fact
+that a state of war existed between Great Britain and the only nation
+in the world which was prepared for hostilities.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, old man,&#8221; I greeted him as we shook hands heartily. &#8220;You got my
+wire, of course. I hope you had a decent journey.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Rather, old chap, I should think I did!&#8221; he replied warmly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> &#8220;Slept
+like a turnip through the beastly parts, and woke up for the bit from
+Dumbarton on. I also had the luck to remember what you said about the
+breakfast and took the precaution of wiring for it. Here I am, and as
+fit as a fiddle.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s great!&#8221; I exclaimed cheerily, for Dennis&#8217;s bright attitude had
+exactly the effect on me that it was intended to have&mdash;it made me feel
+about twenty years younger. &#8220;This is Mr. Garnesk, the specialist, who
+very kindly came from Glasgow to see Myra. Mr. Garnesk&mdash;Mr. Burnham.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The two shook hands, and the oculist suggested lunch. We left the
+station to go up to the hotel, but we saw Hilderman and his newly
+arrived friend&mdash;the same man who had seen me taking Myra up to
+London&mdash;walking leisurely up the hill in front of us. Garnesk took my
+arm.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Steady, my boy, steady,&#8221; he said quietly. &#8220;We don&#8217;t want to be
+overheard giving the lie to your dainty conversation of a few minutes
+ago. Isn&#8217;t there anywhere else we can lunch, because they are
+evidently on the same tack?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I replied, turning back, &#8220;there&#8217;s the Marine just behind you.
+That&#8217;ll do us well. Then we can come out and talk freely where there&#8217;s
+no chance of our being overheard.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So we lunched at the Marine Hotel, after which we strolled round the
+harbour, along the most appalling &#8220;road&#8221; in the history of
+civilisation, popularly and well named &#8220;the Kyber.&#8221; Safely out of
+earshot, I made a hurried mental <i>pr&eacute;cis</i> of the events of the past
+few days, and gave Dennis the resultant summary as tersely as I could.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very glad you had Mr. Garnesk with you,&#8221; said Dennis at last,
+with a glance of frank admiration at the young specialist.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not so glad as I am,&#8221; I replied fervently. &#8220;What I should have done
+without him heaven only knows. I can&#8217;t even guess.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, nonsense!&#8221; cried Garnesk, in modest protest. &#8220;I haven&#8217;t been able
+to do anything. Our one advance was a piece of pure luck&mdash;the
+discovery that Miss McLeod could see by the light of a red lamp. We
+have decided to keep that quite to ourselves, Mr. Burnham.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course,&#8221; agreed Dennis, so emphatically that I laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why so decided, Den?&#8221; I asked, for I felt that I should like to climb
+to the topmost pinnacle of the highest peak in all the world and shout
+the good news to the four corners of the earth.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not a scientist, Ron,&#8221; Dennis replied. &#8220;That may account for the
+heresy of my profound disbelief in science. I wouldn&#8217;t cross the road
+to see a &#8216;miracle.&#8217; The twentieth century is uncongenial to anything
+of that sort. Take it from me, old chap, there&#8217;s a man at the back of
+this&mdash;not a nice man, I admit, but an ordinary human being to all
+outward appearances&mdash;and when we catch a glimpse of his outward
+appearances we shall know what to do.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, <i>when</i> we do,&#8221; I sighed.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;You mustn&#8217;t let Ewart get depressed about things, Mr. Burnham. He
+very naturally looks at this business from a different standpoint.
+With him it is a tragic, mysterious horror, which threatens the
+well-being, if not the existence, of a life that is dearer to him than
+his own.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll look after him,&#8221; said Dennis, with a grim determination which
+made even Garnesk laugh.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When you two precious people have finished nursing me,&#8221; I said, &#8220;I
+hope you&#8217;ll allow me to point out that that very reason gives me a
+prior claim to take any risks or run into any dangers that may crop up
+from now on. If there is any trouble brewing, particularly dangerous
+trouble, then it is my place to tackle it. I am deeply grateful to you
+fellows for all you have done and are doing and intend to do, but the
+nursing comes from the other side. I can&#8217;t let you run risks in a
+cause which is more mine in the nature of things than yours.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I fancy,&#8221; said Dennis, &#8220;that even your eloquent speeches will have
+very little effect when it comes to real trouble. If danger comes
+it&#8217;ll come suddenly, and we shall be best helping our common cause by
+looking after ourselves.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hear, hear,&#8221; said Garnesk, and I could only mutter my thanks and my
+gratitude for the possession of two staunch friends.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;To get back to business,&#8221; I said presently, &#8220;why did you want me to
+bluff Hilderman like that?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Because,&#8221; said Garnesk slowly,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> &#8220;I&#8217;m not sure that Hilderman is the
+man to take into our confidence too completely. It&#8217;s not that I don&#8217;t
+trust the man, but he looks so alert and so cute, and has such a
+dreamy way of pretending he isn&#8217;t listening to you when you know jolly
+well that he is, that I have a feeling we ought to be careful with
+him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Very much what Dennis said about him the first time he saw him. But
+if you don&#8217;t suspect him, and he is a very cute man, why not trust him
+and have the benefit of his intelligence?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How would you answer that question yourself, Ewart?&#8221; the specialist
+asked quietly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh,&#8221; I laughed, &#8220;I should point out that his cuteness may be the very
+reason that we don&#8217;t suspect him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Precisely,&#8221; Garnesk agreed; &#8220;and that is partly my answer as well.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And the other part?&#8221; put in Dennis quietly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, it&#8217;s a difficult thing to say, and it&#8217;s all conjecture. But I
+have a feeling that Hilderman is not what he says he is. He has a
+knack of doing things, a way of going about here, that gives me the
+impression he is employing his intelligence, and a very fine
+intelligence it probably is, all the time. I don&#8217;t think he is retired
+at all. There&#8217;s a restless energy about the fellow that would turn
+into a sour discontent if his mind were not fully occupied with work
+which it is accustomed to, and probably enjoys doing.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Have you anything to suggest?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I have an idea,&#8221; he replied; &#8220;but I haven&#8217;t mentioned it because it
+doesn&#8217;t satisfy me at all. I have an idea that the man is some sort of
+detective hard at work all the time. But I can&#8217;t imagine what sort of
+detective would take a house up here and keep himself as busy as
+Hilderman appears to be over some case in the neighbourhood. I can&#8217;t
+imagine what sort of case it can be.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What about a secret German naval base in the Hebrides?&#8221; I suggested.
+&#8220;It&#8217;s not by any means impossible or even unlikely that the Germans
+have utilised the lonely lochs and creeks to some sinister purpose.
+Many of the lochs are entirely hidden by surrounding mountains, which
+come right down to the edge of a narrow opening, and make the place
+almost unnoticeable unless you happen to be looking for it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s something in that, certainly,&#8221; Garnesk agreed; &#8220;but we must
+remember he&#8217;s been here since May. Surely our precious Government
+would have managed to find what they wanted, and clear it out by this
+time. Then again, did they suspect the base, or did they have a
+general idea that war was coming so far back as May?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;As to the war,&#8221; Dennis put in, &#8220;we don&#8217;t really know when the
+authorities had their first suspicions.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; said I;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> &#8220;but I fancy it was not a very definite suspicion until
+after the Archduke was assassinated. But look here, Garnesk, just let
+us suppose Hilderman really is a Government detective in the guise of
+an American visitor. Wouldn&#8217;t he be just about the man we want, or do
+you think it would make too much stir to take him into our
+confidence?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Far too much,&#8221; Garnesk replied emphatically. &#8220;It&#8217;s not that he would
+talk; but if he has been here all this time his opponents have got
+wind of him long before this, and his arrival on the scene in
+connection with our case would give any suspicious character the tip
+to bolt. I should advise keeping in touch with Hilderman, learn as
+much as you can about him, and be ready to run to him for help if you
+come to the conclusion that he is the man to give it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We sat down among the heather at the foot of the Mallaig Vec road, and
+looked out over the harbour.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t turn your heads,&#8221; said Dennis quietly, &#8220;but glance down at the
+pier.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; said Garnesk in a moment, &#8220;he seems to be as interested in us
+as we are in him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman and his friend were standing on the end of the pier watching
+us through their field-glasses.</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE RED-HAIRED MAN.</h3>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll send the glasses at once,&#8221; said Garnesk, as the train steamed
+out of the station. Dennis and I stood on the platform and watched him
+out of sight.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He seems a good fellow,&#8221; said Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Splendid!&#8221; I agreed readily. &#8220;He&#8217;s exceeding clever and wide-awake,
+and very charming. What we should have done without him heaven only
+knows. I fancy his visit saved the entire household from a nervous
+collapse.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve no time for collapses, nervous or otherwise,&#8221; Dennis replied.
+&#8220;We shall want our wits about us, and we shall need all the vitality
+we can muster. But at the same time I don&#8217;t think there is any cause
+for nerves. You&#8217;re not the sort of man, Ron, to let your nerves get
+the better of you in an emergency, especially if we can prove that our
+enemy is a tangible quantity, and not a conglomeration of waves and
+vibrations.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hilderman and his friend appear to be waiting for us,&#8221; I interrupted.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You may as well introduce me,&#8221; said Dennis. &#8220;I&#8217;d like to meet the
+man. Who is his friend, do you know?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Haven&#8217;t the remotest idea,&#8221; I replied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> &#8220;I have seen him once before,
+but that is all. I don&#8217;t know who he is.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Is he staying with Hilderman, or does he live in the neighbourhood?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That I couldn&#8217;t tell you either,&#8221; I said. &#8220;I&#8217;m sure he doesn&#8217;t live
+anywhere near Invermalluch.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>As we strolled out of the station Hilderman and his companion were
+standing chatting by the gate which leads on to the pier. As we
+approached, Hilderman turned to me with a smile.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he exclaimed, &#8220;your friend has left you, then. I hope
+you won&#8217;t let his inability to help Miss McLeod depress you unduly.
+While there&#8217;s life there&#8217;s hope.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall not give up hope yet awhile, anyway,&#8221; I answered heartily.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;May I introduce my friend Mr. Fuller?&#8221; he asked presently, and I
+found myself shaking hands with the round-faced little man, who
+blinked at me pleasantly through his glasses. I returned the
+compliment by introducing Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;On holiday, Mr. Burnham?&#8221; asked the American. Dennis was so prompt
+with his reply that I was convinced he had been thinking it out in the
+meanwhile.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, I hardly know that I should call it a holiday,&#8221; he replied
+immediately.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> &#8220;I have just run up to say good-bye to Ewart before
+offering my services to my King and country. We had intended to join
+up together, but he has, as you know, been detained for the time
+being, so I am off by myself.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We are very old friends,&#8221; I explained, &#8220;and Burnham very decently
+decided to come here to see me as I was unable to go south to see
+him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Never mind, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; said Hilderman. &#8220;I guess you&#8217;ll be able to
+join him very soon. I wish you luck, Mr. Burnham. I suppose it won&#8217;t
+be long before you leave.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s talking of returning to-morrow,&#8221; I cut in. &#8220;I wish you&#8217;d tell
+him it&#8217;s ridiculous, Mr. Hilderman. Fancy coming all this way for
+twenty-four hours. He must have a look round, to say nothing of his
+stinginess in depriving me of his company so soon.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, I can quite understand Mr. Burnham&#8217;s anxiety to join at the
+earliest possible moment,&#8221; he answered. &#8220;But I&#8217;ve no doubt Lord
+Kitchener wouldn&#8217;t miss him for a day. I think he might multiply his
+visit by two, and stop till Wednesday, at any rate. Ah, here&#8217;s the
+<i>Fiona</i>!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I looked out to the mouth of the harbour, and saw the steam yacht,
+which was in the habit of calling at Glasnabinnie, gliding past the
+lighthouse rock. I was about to make some comment on the boat when
+Hilderman forestalled me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How are you going back?&#8221; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;In a motor-boat,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;I am afraid Angus is getting weary of
+waiting already.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m sure Mr. Fuller would be delighted to have you fellows on board.
+Why not let your man take Mr. Burnham&#8217;s luggage to Invermalluch, and
+come to Glasnabinnie on the <i>Fiona</i>? You can lunch with me, and when
+you tire of our company I will run you across in the <i>Baltimore</i>. Eh?
+What do you say?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall be delighted, of course,&#8221; his companion broke in.</p>
+
+<p>I hesitated for a moment, and glanced at Dennis. His face obviously
+said, &#8220;Accept,&#8221; so I accepted.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank you,&#8221; I said; &#8220;we shall be very pleased. It will be more jolly
+than going back by ourselves.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good!&#8221; cried Hilderman, &#8220;and I can show you the view from my
+smoking-room. I hope it will make you green with envy.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So I gave Angus his instructions, and the four of us waited at the
+fish-table steps for the dinghy to come ashore from the yacht. She was
+not a particularly beautiful boat, but she looked comfortable and
+strong, and her clumsy appearance was accentuated by the fact that her
+funnel was aft a commodious deck dining-saloon, on the top of which
+was a small wheel-house. Myra had been right, as it turned out; she
+was a converted drifter. The two men who came in to pick us up wore
+the usual blue guernsey, with <i>S.Y. Fiona</i> worked in an arc of red
+wool across the chest. They were obviously good servants and useful
+hands, but there was none of that ridiculous <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span>imitation of naval
+custom and etiquette which delights the heart of the Cotton Exchange
+yacht-owner. We boarded the <i>Fiona</i> with the feeling that we were going
+to have a pleasant and comfortable time, and not with the fear that
+our setting of a leather-soled shoe upon the hallowed decks was in
+itself an act of sacrilege. We were no sooner aboard than Fuller set
+himself to play the host with a charm which was exceedingly attentive
+and neither fussy nor patronising.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The trivial but necessary question of edible stores will detain us
+for a few moments,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But we shall be more comfortable here
+than wandering about among the herrings.&#8221; So we made ourselves
+comfortable in deck-chairs in the stern, while the steward went ashore
+and made the all-important purchases.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You cruise a good deal, I suppose?&#8221; was my first question.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, a fair amount,&#8221; our host replied. &#8220;I pretty well live on board,
+you know, although I have a small house further north, on Loch Duich,
+if you know where that is.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Ewart was born up here, and knows it backwards,&#8221; Hilderman
+informed him. And we chatted about the district and the fishing and
+the views until the steward returned, and we got under weigh. I should
+have liked to have seen the accommodation below, but the journey was a
+short one, and I had no opportunity to make the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>suggestion. Dennis
+was sitting nearest the rail, and there was a small hank of rope at
+his feet.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I beg your pardon, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; said Fuller suddenly. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t
+notice that rope was in your way.&#8221; And he learned over and tossed the
+rope away. As he did so some hard object fell with a clatter from the
+coil.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not interfering with me in the least,&#8221; laughed Dennis, and
+looked down at a large, bone-handled clasp-knife which had dropped in
+front of him. He picked it up idly, and weighed it in his hand.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Useful sort of implement,&#8221; he said.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, these sailor-chaps like a big knife more than anything,&#8221; said
+Hilderman; &#8220;and, of course, they need them strong. I daresay that has
+been used for anything, from primitive carpentry to cutting tobacco.
+The one knife always does for everything.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We continued our conversation while Dennis idly examined the knife,
+opening it and studying the blade absently. Presently Fuller, noticing
+his absorption, began to chaff him about it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; he laughed, &#8220;have you compiled a complete history of the knife
+and it&#8217;s owner? If you&#8217;re ready to sit an examination on the subject I
+will constitute myself examiner, then we&#8217;ll find who the knife belongs
+to, and corroborate or contradict your conclusions.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a very ordinary knife to find on board a boat, I should think,&#8221;
+said Dennis.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Oh come, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; Hilderman joined in, &#8220;you mustn&#8217;t wriggle out
+of it. Surely you can answer Mr. Fuller&#8217;s questions.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;If Mr. Fuller will allow me to put one or two preliminary questions
+to him,&#8221; Dennis replied, entering into the spirit of fun, &#8220;I am ready
+to go into the witness-box and swear quite a number of fanciful
+things.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Come now, Fuller,&#8221; chaffed Hilderman. &#8220;You must give him a run for
+his money, you know. He is risking his reputation at a moment&#8217;s
+notice. I think you ought to let him ask you three questions, at any
+rate.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Fire away, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; said our host. &#8220;I&#8217;ll give you a start of
+three questions, and then you must be prepared to answer every
+reasonable question I put to you, or be branded publicly as an
+unreliable witness and an incompetent detective.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Dennis puffed at his pipe and smiled, and I was surprised to see that
+he really was bringing his mind to bear on the trivial problem with
+all the acuteness he had in him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, in the first place,&#8221; he asked, &#8220;do you stop in port very often
+overnight, or for any length of time during the day?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I never stop in port longer than I can help,&#8221; laughed Fuller, &#8220;or the
+owner of that knife would probably take the opportunity of buying a
+new one, and throwing this old thing away. All the same, I don&#8217;t see
+how that is going to help you.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Ah,&#8221; said Dennis, in bantering vein, &#8220;you mustn&#8217;t expect me to give
+away my process, you know. The secret&#8217;s been in the family for years.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What&#8217;s your second question, Den?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Is there a hotel within reasonable distance of your house on Loch
+Whatever-it-is, Mr. Fuller?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Loch Duich?&#8221; our host replied. &#8220;There&#8217;s one about six miles by road
+and eleven or twelve by the sea.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think I need ask you the third question, then,&#8221; said Dennis.
+&#8220;You can begin your examination now.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; Fuller commenced, &#8220;you quite understand that
+anything you say will be taken down in writing, and may be used as
+evidence against you?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I assure you I have a keen appreciation of the gravity of the
+situation,&#8221; Dennis replied seriously.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; said Fuller. &#8220;I&#8217;ll begin with an easy one&mdash;one that won&#8217;t tax
+your powers of observation beyond endurance.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I urged, &#8220;let him down gently. He does his best.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What profession does the owner of that knife follow?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman and I laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We may as well count that answer as read,&#8221; he said.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s a catch there, Dennis,&#8221; I warned him. &#8220;The legal designation
+is &#8216;mariner.&#8217;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think it is,&#8221; said my friend.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We won&#8217;t quarrel about terms,&#8221; laughed our host graciously. &#8220;Sailor
+or seaman or deckhand will do just as well.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; said Dennis, &#8220;it won&#8217;t. The owner of this knife is not a sailor
+by profession.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But,&#8221; Fuller protested, &#8220;it must belong to one of my crew, and it is
+obviously a seaman&#8217;s knife.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;In that case,&#8221; Dennis answered, &#8220;I think you&#8217;ll find that you have a
+man on board who is not a professional seaman in the ordinary use of
+the term. I&#8217;ll tell you what I think of this knife, shall I?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By all means,&#8221; urged Hilderman and his friend together, and I began
+to take a keen interest in this curious discussion, for I could see
+that Dennis was no longer playing. He turned the knife over in his
+hand, and looked up at Fuller.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Fuller,&#8221; he said quietly, &#8220;the owner of this knife is not a
+sailor by profession. He is probably a schoolmaster. I can&#8217;t be sure
+of that, but I can say this definitely: he is a professional man of
+some sort, possibly an engineer, but, as I say, more probably a
+mathematical master. He is left-handed, has red hair, a wife, and at
+least one child.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I shouted with laughter when I realised how thoroughly my friend had
+pulled my leg, but I <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>broke off abruptly when Hilderman sat bolt
+upright, and his chair and Fuller&#8217;s cigar fell unheeded on to the
+deck. But in a second they took their cue from me, and roared with
+laughter.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, excellent, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; said Hilderman between his guffaws. &#8220;But
+you forgot to mention that his sister married a butcher&#8217;s assistant.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah, but I don&#8217;t admit she did,&#8221; Dennis protested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very much indebted to you for exposing this masquerader,&#8221; said
+Fuller. &#8220;I shall have the matter inquired into. But seriously, Mr.
+Burnham, you made one extraordinary fluke in your deductions, which
+almost took my breath away. I have a man on board with red hair, and
+when the boat came into the harbour he was working about here. I saw
+him leave his work to come ashore for us. I shouldn&#8217;t be at all
+surprised to find that the knife belonged to him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, well,&#8221; Dennis laughed, &#8220;one shot right is not a bad average for a
+beginner, you know.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; said Hilderman, puffing a cloud of smoke, and dreamily following
+its ascent with his eyes, &#8220;not bad at all. Not bad at all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>And then, the joke of the clasp-knife being played out, we admired the
+scenery, and conversed of less speculative subjects till we arrived at
+Glasnabinnie.</p>
+
+<p>We were pulled ashore by the man with the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>red hair, and when our host
+confronted him with the knife he promptly claimed it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I think you won, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; laughed Fuller, and Dennis smiled in
+reply. We slid alongside the landing-stage and stepped out, and
+Dennis&#8217;s schoolmaster was about to slip the painter through a ring and
+make the boat fast. But evidently the ring was broken. The man came
+ashore, and Hilderman began to lead us up the path. But Dennis
+deliberately turned and watched the sailor. Hilderman and his
+companion strolled ahead while I stood beside Dennis. The man with the
+red hair fished among a pile of wire rope, and picked out a small
+marline-spike. Then he lifted a large stone, held the marline-spike on
+the wooden planking of the landing-stage, and hammered it in with the
+stone. Then he threw the painter round it, and made the boat secure in
+that way.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; murmured Dennis quietly, as we turned to join the others, &#8220;I
+think I won.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>For the man had held the stone in his left hand.</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+
+<h3>A FURTHER MYSTERY.</h3>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; said Hilderman, as we caught them up, &#8220;what about lunch? After
+his journey I daresay Mr. Burnham has an appetite, not to mention his
+excursion into the realm of detective fiction.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We lunched at Mallaig,&#8221; I explained, &#8220;with Mr. Garnesk before we saw
+him off.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, did you?&#8221; he asked, with evident surprise. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t see you at
+the hotel.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We went to the Marine,&#8221; I replied, &#8220;to save ourselves a climb up the
+hill.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We had a snack at Mallaig too,&#8221; the American continued, &#8220;intending to
+lunch here. Are you sure you couldn&#8217;t manage something?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It would have to be a very slight something,&#8221; Dennis put in. &#8220;But I
+daresay we could manage that.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good!&#8221; said Hilderman. &#8220;Come along, then, and let&#8217;s see what we can
+do.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We strolled into the drawing-room through the inevitable verandah, and
+though Hilderman was the tenant of the furnished house he had
+contrived to impart a suggestion of his own personality to the room.
+The furniture was arranged in a delightfully lazy manner that almost
+made you yawn. The walls were hung with photographic enlargements of
+some of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>most beautiful spots in the neighbourhood. I remembered
+what Myra had told me as to his being an enthusiastic photographer, so
+I asked him about them.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Did you take these, Mr. Hilderman?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he answered. &#8220;These are just a few of the best. I have many
+others which I should like you to see some time. I always leave the
+enlarging to keep me alive during the winter months. These are a few
+odd ones I enlarged for decorative purposes.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;They are beautiful,&#8221; I said enthusiastically, for they were real
+beauties, more like drawings in monochrome than photographs. &#8220;And you
+certainly seem to have got about the neighbourhood since your
+arrival.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he laughed, &#8220;I don&#8217;t miss much when I get out with my camera.
+Most of these were taken during the first month of my stay here.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;These snow scenes from the Cuchulins are simply gorgeous, and surely
+this is the Kingie Pool on the Garry?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Right first time,&#8221; he admitted, evidently pleased to see his work
+admired. I thought of Garnesk&#8217;s suspicion that our American friend was
+engaged on detective work of some kind, and it struck me that with his
+camera and his obvious talent he had an excellent excuse for going
+almost anywhere, supposing he were called upon at any time to explain
+his presence in some outlandish spot.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;You must have kept yourself exceedingly busy,&#8221; I remarked in
+conclusion.</p>
+
+<p>After the meal we adjourned to the hut above the falls. Hilderman
+certainly had some right to be proud of his view. It was magnificent.
+We stood outside the door and gazed out to sea, north, south and west,
+for some minutes.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You have the same uninterrupted view from inside,&#8221; said Hilderman, as
+we mounted the three steps to the door. He held the door open, and I
+stepped in first, followed by Dennis and Fuller. The window extended
+the whole length of the room, and folded inwards and upwards, in the
+same way as some greenhouse windows do. Suddenly I laughed aloud.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What&#8217;s the joke?&#8221; asked Hilderman.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;This,&#8221; I said, pointing to a large carbon transparency of a mountain
+under snow, which hung in the window on the north side. &#8220;You&#8217;ve no
+idea how this has been annoying us over at Invermalluch.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;How?&#8221; asked Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It swings about in the breeze,&#8221; I replied, &#8220;and it reflects the light
+and catches everybody&#8217;s eye. It&#8217;s a very beautiful photograph, Mr.
+Hilderman, but, like many human beings, it&#8217;s exceedingly unpopular
+owing to the position it holds.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;A thousand apologies, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; said the American. &#8220;It shall be
+removed at once.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, not at all!&#8221; I protested.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> &#8220;Surely you are entitled to hang a
+positive of a photograph in your window without receiving a protest
+from neighbours who live nearly three miles away.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s Invermalluch Lodge, then, across the water,&#8221; Dennis asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I replied, and we forgot about the transparency, which remained
+in undisputed possession of a pitch to which it was certainly
+entitled. We sat and smoked, and looked out at the mountains of Skye
+and the wonderful panorama of sea and loch, with an occasional glance
+at the gurgling waterfall at our feet, and presently I picked up a
+copy of an illustrated paper which was lying at my hand. I turned the
+pages idly, and threw a cursory glance at the photographs of the
+week&#8217;s brides, and the latest efforts of the theatrical press agents,
+and I noticed, without thinking anything of the fact, that one page
+had been roughly torn out. I was about to remark that probably the
+most interesting or amusing picture in the whole paper had been
+accidentally destroyed, when Fuller leaned across Dennis, and took the
+paper out of my hands.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t insult Mr. Hilderman&#8217;s precious view by reading the paper in
+his smoking-room, Mr Ewart,&#8221; he said, with a loud laugh. &#8220;As a
+Highlander you should have more tact than that.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman turned round, and looked from one to other of us.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What paper is he reading? I didn&#8217;t know there was one here.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p><p>I explained what paper it was, adding, &#8220;I quite admit that it was a
+waste of time when I ought to be admiring your unrivalled view, Mr.
+Hilderman. I offer you my sincere apologies.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman threw a quick glance at Mr. Fuller.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Better give it him back, Fuller,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There is nothing more
+annoying than to have a paper snatched away from you when you&#8217;re
+half-way through it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after that Fuller declared that he must be leaving, and asked
+Hilderman rather pointedly whether he felt like a trip to Loch Duich.
+I determined to step in with an idea of my own.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I was going to make a suggestion myself, Mr. Hilderman,&#8221; I began,
+&#8220;but it doesn&#8217;t matter if you are engaged.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, I don&#8217;t know that I&#8217;m particularly keen to come with you this
+afternoon, Fuller,&#8221; he remarked. &#8220;What was your suggestion, Mr.
+Ewart?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I was wondering whether you would come over to Invermalluch with
+Burnham and me and&mdash;er&mdash;have a look round with us?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, if Fuller doesn&#8217;t think it exceedingly rude of me, I should
+like to,&#8221; the American replied, &#8220;especially as Mr. Burnham will be
+leaving you to-morrow, or the day after at latest.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Incidentally, I don&#8217;t know how we shall get back without you,&#8221; I
+pointed out. &#8220;You see, we sent the motor-boat on.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By Jove, so you did!&#8221; Hilderman exclaimed. &#8220;Well, that settles it,
+Fuller.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I could take them on the <i>Fiona</i> and put them ashore,&#8221; his companion
+persisted. Hilderman gave Fuller a look which seemed to clinch the
+matter, however, for the little man beamed at me through his
+spectacles, and explained that if he took us in his yacht it would be
+killing two birds with one stone.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Still, of course, my dear fellow,&#8221; he concluded, &#8220;you must please
+yourselves entirely.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So we saw him safely on board the <i>Fiona</i>, and then started for
+Invermalluch in Hilderman&#8217;s magnificent Wolseley launch.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Fuller knows me,&#8221; he explained, by way of apology. &#8220;I go up with him
+sometimes as often as three times a week, but I gathered that you
+asked me with a view to discussing the mystery of the green flash, or
+whatever you call it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re quite right; I did,&#8221; I replied. &#8220;I simply want you to come and
+have a look at the river, and see what you can make of it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Anything I can do, you know, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he assured me, &#8220;I shall be
+delighted to do. If you think it will be of any assistance to you if I
+explore the river with you&mdash;well, I&#8217;m ready now.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>From that we proceeded to give him, at his request, minute details of
+Garnesk&#8217;s conclusions on the matter, and I am afraid I departed from
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>the truth with a ready abandon and a certain relish of which I ought
+to have been most heartily ashamed.</p>
+
+<p>When we stepped ashore at Invermalluch Hilderman looked back across
+the water.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;If I&#8217;d waited for Fuller,&#8221; he laughed, &#8220;I should have been stuck
+there yet. He&#8217;s let the water go off the boil or something.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We went up to the house and had tea on the verandah, for the General
+had taken Myra up Loch Hourn in the motor-boat. After tea we got to
+business.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now that I&#8217;ve had a very refreshing cup of tea,&#8221; the American
+remarked, &#8220;I feel rather like the mouse who said &#8216;<i>Now</i> bring out your
+cat&#8217; when he had consumed half a teaspoonful of beer! Now show me the
+river.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to sound at all panicky,&#8221; I said, &#8220;but I think I ought
+to warn you that our experiences at the particular spot we are going
+to have&mdash;well, shall we say they have provided a striking contrast
+from the routine of our daily life?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not at all afraid of the river, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he replied lightly.
+&#8220;I should be the last person to doubt the statements of yourself and
+Miss McLeod and the General, but I am inclined to think the river has
+no active part in the proceedings.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You hold the view that it was the merest coincidence that Miss McLeod
+and the General both had terrible and strange experiences at the same
+spot?&#8221; asked Dennis.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;It seems to be the only sensible view to hold,&#8221; Hilderman declared
+emphatically. &#8220;I must say I think Miss McLeod&#8217;s blindness might have
+happened in her own room or anywhere else, and the General&#8217;s strange
+experience seems to me to be the delusion of overwrought nerves. I
+confess there is only one thing I don&#8217;t understand, and that is the
+disappearance of the dog. That&#8217;s got me beaten, unless it was that
+crofter.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We intend to go to the Saddle to-morrow and make a few
+investigations. I was going by myself,&#8221; I added cautiously, &#8220;but I
+think I can persuade Burnham to stay and go with me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I certainly should stay for that, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; Hilderman advised.
+&#8220;One more day can&#8217;t make much difference.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll think it over,&#8221; said Dennis, careful not to commit himself
+rashly.</p>
+
+<p>We came to the Dead Man&#8217;s Pool, and crossed over the river, and began
+to walk up the other side.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;This is about the right time for a manifestation of the mystery,&#8221; I
+remarked lightly, though I was far from laughing about the whole
+thing.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; said Hilderman, &#8220;if we are to see the green flash in operation
+I hope it will be in a gentle mood, and not pull our teeth out one by
+one or anything of that sort.&#8221; Evidently he had little sympathy with
+our fear of the green ray and the awe with which we approached the
+neighbourhood of the river.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Are we going to the right place?&#8221; Dennis asked. &#8220;I mean the identical
+spot?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That lozenge-shaped thing up there is the Chemist&#8217;s Rock,&#8221; I replied,
+&#8220;and the other important place is Dead Man&#8217;s Pool, which we have just
+left.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Miss McLeod went blind on the Chemist&#8217;s Rock, didn&#8217;t she?&#8221; Dennis
+inquired.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I replied, with a shudder. &#8220;She was fishing from it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Then suppose we go back to the pool,&#8221; he suggested. We agreed readily
+enough, for I had no desire to hang about the fateful rock, and
+Hilderman for his part seemed to have no faith in the idea at all. I
+fancy he thought it would make no difference to us in what part of the
+river we might be, only provided we didn&#8217;t fall in. So Dennis led the
+way back, and he was the first to pick his way to the middle of the
+stream. Hilderman and I were some distance behind. Suddenly we stopped
+stock-still, and looked at him. He had begun to cough and splutter,
+and he seemed rooted to the small stone he was standing on in the
+middle of the stream. In a flash I understood, and with a cry I
+bounded after him, Hilderman following at my heels.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s all right, Ewart,&#8221; cried Hilderman behind me. &#8220;He&#8217;s only choked,
+or something of that sort. He&#8217;ll be all right in a minute.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Dennis had crossed to the centre of the stream by a way of his own,
+and we ran down to the stepping-stones by which we had come, in order
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span>to save the time which we should have been compelled to waste in
+feeling for a foothold as we went. Every second was of importance, and
+I fully expected to see Dennis topple unconscious into the pool below
+before I should be able to save him. I knew what it was exactly; he
+was going through my own horrible experience of &#8220;drowning on dry
+land,&#8221; to quote Garnesk&#8217;s vigorous phrase. Imagine my astonishment,
+therefore, when I reached Dennis&#8217;s side with only a slight difficulty
+in breathing. There was no sign, or at least very little, of the air
+which was &#8220;heavier than water.&#8221; Hilderman plunged along behind me, and
+we reached the stone on which my friend was standing almost
+simultaneously. Dennis held an arm pointing up the river, his face
+transfixed with an expression of horrified amazement. Suddenly
+Hilderman gave a hoarse, shrill shout, breaking almost into a scream.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Shut your eyes!&#8221; he yelled. &#8220;Shut your eyes! Oh, for heaven&#8217;s sake,
+shut your eyes!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>But I never thought of following his advice. Dennis&#8217;s immovable arm,
+pointing like an inanimate signpost up the river, fascinated me.
+Slowly I raised my eyes in that direction. Then I stepped back with a
+startled cry, lost my footing, slipped, and fell on my face among the
+rocks.</p>
+
+<p><i>The river had disappeared!</i></p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+
+<h3>CONCERNS AN ILLUSTRATED PAPER.</h3>
+
+<p>The river had disappeared!</p>
+
+<p>In front of us was a great green wall of solid rock, which seemed to
+tower into the sky above us, and to stretch away for miles to right
+and left. The curious part about it was that the rock was undoubtedly
+solid. The shrubs that grew upon it, the great crevices and clefts,
+were all real. I knew&mdash;though I had a hard struggle to make myself
+believe&mdash;that it was all a marvellous and indescribable delusion, for
+there could be no cliff where only a few seconds before there had been
+a mighty, rushing torrent.</p>
+
+<p>And yet I could have planted finger and foot on the ledges of that
+solid precipice and climbed to the invisible summit. Hilderman was
+muttering to himself beneath his breath, but I was too dazed, my brain
+was too numbed to make any sense out of the confused mumble of words
+which came from him. Dennis held my arm in a vice-like grip that
+stopped the circulation, and almost made me cry out with the pain.</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman staggered, his arm over his eyes, across the stepping-stones
+to the side of the stream. I found my voice at last.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Dennis!&#8221; I shouted at the top of my voice, though why I should have
+shouted I can never explain, for my friend was standing just beside
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>me. &#8220;Dennis, come away, man. Get out of this!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I exerted my strength to the uttermost, but Dennis was immovable,
+rooted to the spot by the strange, snake-like fascination of the
+nightmare. Then, as suddenly as it had arisen, the rock disappeared
+again, and there before our startled gaze was a peacefully flowing
+river. Dennis turned to me with a face as white as a sheet.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The place is haunted,&#8221; he said, with a somewhat hysterical laugh.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Let&#8217;s get away from it and sit down, and think it over,&#8221; I urged,
+pulling him away. We made for the side of the river and sat down, at a
+very safe distance from the bank. I rolled up my sleeve, and had a
+look at my arm.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Great Scott!&#8221; Dennis exclaimed, as I dangled the pinched and purple
+limb painfully. &#8220;What on earth did that?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m afraid it was your own delicate touch and dainty caress that did
+it, old man. You seized hold of me as if you hadn&#8217;t seen me for years,
+and I owed you a thousand pounds.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ron, my dear fellow,&#8221; he said penitently, &#8220;I&#8217;m most awfully sorry.
+Why didn&#8217;t you shout?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I burst out laughing.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I entered a protest in vigorous terms, but you were otherwise engaged
+at the moment, and, anyway, don&#8217;t look so scared about it, old man;
+it&#8217;ll be quite all right in a minute.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span></p><p>Poor Dennis was quite upset at the evidence I bore of his absorption
+in the miracle, and we postponed our discussion while he massaged the
+injured arm in order to restore the flow of blood.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Where&#8217;s Hilderman?&#8221; I asked presently, and though we looked
+everywhere for the American he was nowhere to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He didn&#8217;t look the sort to funk like that,&#8221; said Dennis thoughtfully.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should have been prepared to bet he was quite brave,&#8221; I concurred.
+&#8220;Well, anyway,&#8221; I added, &#8220;the main point is, what do you think of our
+entertainment? You&#8217;ve come a long way for it, but I hope you are not
+disappointed now you&#8217;ve seen it. It&#8217;s original, isn&#8217;t it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By heaven, Ron!&#8221; he cried, &#8220;you&#8217;re right. It is original. It is even
+a more unholy, indescribable mystery than I expected, and I never
+accused you of exaggerating it, even in my own mind.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m glad that both you and Hilderman have had ocular demonstration of
+it,&#8221; I remarked. &#8220;It is so much more convincing, and will help you to
+go into the matter without any feeling that we are out on a
+hare-brained shadow-chase.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re certainly not that, anyhow,&#8221; Dennis agreed emphatically. &#8220;It is
+a real mystery, Ronald, my boy. A real danger, as well, I&#8217;m afraid.
+But we&#8217;ll stick at it till the end.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thanks, old fellow,&#8221; I said simply, and then I added, &#8220;I wonder what
+can have become of Hilderman?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Gad!&#8221; cried Dennis, in sudden alarm. &#8220;He can&#8217;t have fallen into the
+river by any chance?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We jumped to our feet and looked about us.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I said presently, &#8220;he hasn&#8217;t fallen into the river.&#8221; And I
+pointed a finger out to sea. The <i>Baltimore II.</i>, churning a frantic
+way across to Glasnabinnie, seemed to divide the intervening water in
+one great white slash.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I wonder,&#8221; said Dennis quietly, &#8220;<i>is</i> that funk, or isn&#8217;t it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We watched the diminishing craft for a minute or two in silence, and
+finally decided to keep an open mind on the subject until we might
+have an opportunity to see Hilderman and hear his own explanation.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Talking about explanations, what about the left-handed schoolmaster
+with the red-headed wife, or whatever it was?&#8221; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That was a bit of luck,&#8221; said Dennis modestly, &#8220;and I will admit, if
+you like, that we owe that to Garnesk.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Garnesk wasn&#8217;t there,&#8221; I protested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; my friend admitted,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> &#8220;he wasn&#8217;t there at the time, but he put
+me on the look-out for a left-handed sailor. I was very much
+impressed with his deductions about the man who stole Miss McLeod&#8217;s
+dog, and I determined to be on the look-out for a left-handed man. I
+also admit that I carefully watched everyone we met, especially the
+fishermen at Mallaig, to see if I could detect the sort of man I wanted.
+I was rewarded when we were pulled out to the <i>Fiona</i> by those
+two men of Fuller&#8217;s. One of them was red-headed, you remember? Well,
+that man was left-handed. It was very easy to observe that by the way
+he held his oar and generally handled things. Of course I was very
+bucked about it, so I paid very close attention to him. He wore a
+wedding-ring&mdash;ergo, he was married. It is not conclusive, of course,
+but a fairly safe guess when you&#8217;re playing at toy detectives. So when
+I found the knife I looked for some sign that it belonged to him, and
+found it. It was all quite simple.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I daresay it will be when you explain it, but you haven&#8217;t in the
+least explained it yet,&#8221; I pointed out. &#8220;How about the schoolmaster
+and all that, and what made you think the knife belonged to him.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Simply because he was very probably&mdash;working on the law of
+averages&mdash;the only left-handed man among the crew, and that knife
+belonged to a left-handed man.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But my dear old fellow,&#8221; I cried, &#8220;you don&#8217;t seriously mean to tell
+me that you can say whether a man is left-handed or not by looking at
+marks on the handle of his knife?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not on the handle,&#8221; Dennis explained; &#8220;on the blade. Have you got a
+knife on you?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I produced my pen-knife.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll trust you with it,&#8221; I declared confidently. &#8220;I&#8217;ve never held any
+secrets from you, Den.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Dennis opened the knife and laid it in the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>palm of his hand. I stood
+still and watched him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve sharpened pencils with this knife and the pencils have left
+their mark. If you hold the knife as you would when sharpening a
+pencil and look down on the blade there are no pencil marks visible.
+Now turn the knife over and you will find the marks on the other side
+of the blade.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Half a minute,&#8221; I said eagerly, &#8220;let&#8217;s have a look. The knife is in
+position for sharpening a pencil and the back of the knife is pointing
+to my chest. The marks are underneath.&#8221; I took a pencil from my pocket
+and tried it. &#8220;Yes, I&#8217;ve got you, Dennis. It&#8217;s quite clear. If I held
+the knife with the point to my right instead of to my left, as I
+should do in sharpening with my left hand, the marks appear on the
+other side of the blade. It is not quite conclusive, Den, but it&#8217;s
+jolly cute.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not when you&#8217;re looking for it,&#8221; he said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> &#8220;I was struck by the fact
+that the knife which, by its size and weight, was a seaman&#8217;s handy
+tool, had also been used for the repeated sharpening of a blue pencil.
+When I saw those indications I went through the motion and came to the
+conclusion that the marks were on the wrong side. Then I tried with my
+left hand and accounted for it. The blue pencil made me suspicious. I
+have no knowledge of a yacht-hand&#8217;s duties, but surely sharpening blue
+pencils is not one of them. Then the knife had also been carried in
+the same pocket as a piece of white chalk. The only sort of person I
+could think of who would carry a piece of chalk loose in his pocket
+and use a blue pencil continuously was a schoolmaster. So I stated
+definitely&mdash;there&#8217;s nothing like bluff&mdash;that the knife belonged to the
+left-handed man, who quite obviously had red hair, who appeared to
+wear the insignia of the married state, and who&mdash;again according to
+the law of averages&mdash;had at least one child. I naturally slumped the
+schoolmaster idea in with it, and there you have the whole thing in a
+nutshell. But it was Garnesk who set me looking for left-handed clues,
+and if I hadn&#8217;t been looking for it, it would never have entered my
+head.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But look here,&#8221; I suggested, &#8220;some people sharpen pencils by pointing
+the pencil to them. Wouldn&#8217;t that produce the same effect?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he admitted, &#8220;I thought of that. But the marks would have been
+very much fainter, because there would have been much less pressure. I
+put that idea aside.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good!&#8221; I exclaimed. &#8220;I should much prefer to swallow your theory
+whole, Dennis, but it struck me that might be a possible source of
+error, which, of course, might have led us on to a false trail. And, I
+say, those questions you asked about the time he stayed in port and
+the hotel. Were those all bluff? Or had you some sort of idea at the
+back of them?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I had a very definite idea at the back of them,&#8221; Dennis replied. &#8220;I
+thought perhaps the white chalk which was deposited in the
+blade-pocket, and was even noticeable on the handle, might be due to
+billiard chalk. But, of course, I didn&#8217;t mention billiards, because it
+would have given my line of reasoning away. I thought it was better to
+spring it on them with a bump.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Which you certainly did,&#8221; I laughed. &#8220;As a matter of fact, I thought
+you were simply having a game with us all. But now that you&#8217;ve told me
+the details, Den, do you remember what happened when you did spring it
+on them?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, of course I do,&#8221; he replied. &#8220;But even so, I hardly know what
+to make of it. I should like to feel confidently that Fuller is the
+man we are after. But we must remember that both he and Hilderman
+might very easily have thought I really had discovered something from
+the knife and been exceedingly surprised without having any guilty
+connection with the discovery.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;H&#8217;m,&#8221; I muttered, &#8220;I prefer to suspect Fuller.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, I do too,&#8221; Dennis agreed. &#8220;It is safer to suspect everybody in a
+case like this. But why are you so emphatic?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; I explained,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> &#8220;we have a few little things to go on. Myra
+diagnosed that Sholto was taken on a yacht by Garnesk&#8217;s left-handed
+man in sea-boots. Then you produce a left-handed member of a yacht&#8217;s
+crew out of an old pocket-knife, and Fuller jumps out of his skin when
+you mention it. That seems to be something to go on, and then there
+was that incident in the smoking-room.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;When you were reading the paper?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t make that
+out. Did you notice anything suspicious about it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course I was in a suspicious mood,&#8221; I admitted, &#8220;but it struck me
+as a singularly rude thing to do to snatch the paper out of my hand
+like that. His remark about Hilderman&#8217;s precious view was very weak. I
+think there was something behind it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What?&#8221; asked Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It may have been that there was a letter, or something in the way of
+a paper, which he didn&#8217;t want me to see laid inside the paper; but
+there was another curious point about it. There was a page torn out. I
+had just noticed this and was on the point of making some silly remark
+about it when Fuller leaned right across you and took the thing from
+me, as you saw.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;If the page he didn&#8217;t want you to see was torn out, there was no
+chance of your seeing it,&#8221; Dennis argued, logically enough.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; I agreed, &#8220;but after your exhibition, if he had anything to
+conceal he may have been afraid of my even seeing that the page was
+torn out.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;What do you imagine the missing page can possibly have contained?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; I answered, and thought hard for a minute. &#8220;By Jove,
+Den!&#8221; I cried suddenly, &#8220;I believe I&#8217;ve got it. This takes us back to
+Garnesk&#8217;s idea of a wireless invention causing all the trouble. We
+think we have reason to believe that Fuller may have stolen the dog.
+We also think we have reason to believe that one of his yacht-hands is
+what you called &#8216;a mathematical master.&#8217; Now, suppose the paper had
+got hold of this and printed an illustration of the mysterious
+invention or perhaps a photograph of the mysterious inventor?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And the inventor, knowing that we should accuse him of blinding Miss
+McLeod and making off with her dog, the moment we could identify him,
+tears out the offending illustration in case either we or anyone else
+in the neighbourhood should see it? He admitted, by the way, that he
+never went into port if he could help it.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, anyway,&#8221; I said, &#8220;we&#8217;ll have a look for the paper and find the
+missing page.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You noticed the date?&#8221; Dennis asked, anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! it was this week&#8217;s issue,&#8221; I replied.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Do they take it at the house?&#8221; he inquired, again with a note of
+anxiety.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not that I know of, but we&#8217;ll rake one up somewhere, don&#8217;t you fret.
+And, I say, this is a fine way to welcome a visitor; you haven&#8217;t even
+said how-do to your host and hostess. I&#8217;m most awfully sorry.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t be an ass, Ronnie,&#8221; said Dennis, cheerfully. &#8220;With the utmost
+respect, as you barrister chaps would say, I hadn&#8217;t noticed your
+departure from the requirements of conventional hospitality. I
+wouldn&#8217;t have missed this for all the world and a bit of Bond Street.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So then we hurried to the house with a nervous energy, which spoke
+eloquently to our state of suppressed excitement.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;All the same,&#8221; Den muttered dolefully, as we hurried down the stable
+path, &#8220;it&#8217;s going to be what the Americans would call &#8216;some&#8217; wireless
+invention that can plant a grown-up mountain in the middle of an
+innocent river in the twinkling of an eyelash.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It is, indeed, old fellow,&#8221; I agreed, &#8220;but don&#8217;t let us worry about
+that. We&#8217;ll get in and see Myra and the General, and then have a look
+round for the <i>Pictures</i>&mdash;the paper you were looking at.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We found Myra sitting on the verandah and wondering what on earth had
+kept us, and if we had changed our minds and gone straight back south
+with Garnesk.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m most awfully sorry, darling,&#8221; I apologised. &#8220;It&#8217;s all my fault,
+of course. We went to Glasnabinnie, and since then I&#8217;ve been showing
+Dennis the river and generally forgetting my duties as deputy host.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;What did you go to the river for?&#8221; Myra asked, suspiciously.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Oh! just to have a look round, you know, dear. It&#8217;s a very nice
+river,&#8221; I replied, airily.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ronnie, dear, please,&#8221; she said gently, laying her hand on my arm and
+turning her veiled and shaded face to mine, &#8220;please don&#8217;t joke about
+it. I can&#8217;t bear to think of you running risks there.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I looked at my beautiful, blind darling, and a pang shot through me.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;God knows I&#8217;m not joking about it, dearest,&#8221; I said sadly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I know you weren&#8217;t really, Ronnie. But, please, oh! please, keep away
+from the river.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Very well, dear,&#8221; I promised, &#8220;I will, unless an urgent duty takes me
+there. We must solve this mystery somehow, and it may mean my going to
+the river. But I promise not to run any unnecessary risks.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll keep an eye on him and see that he takes care of himself, Miss
+McLeod,&#8221; said Dennis, coming to the rescue.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Thank you, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; the girl replied, &#8220;but you know it applies
+to you as well. You must look after yourself also.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By the way, dear,&#8221; I asked, changing the subject, &#8220;have you a copy of
+this week&#8217;s <i>Pictures</i>?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m afraid not,&#8221; she answered. &#8220;Must it be the <i>Pictures</i>? I&#8217;ve just
+been looking at another illustrated paper.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Looking at what?&#8221; I cried, jumping to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>my feet. &#8220;Darling, who&#8217;s
+talking about running risks?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, it&#8217;s all right, dear,&#8221; she assured me. &#8220;I got Mary to bring my
+dark-room lamp down to the den and just glanced at the pictures by the
+red light. But I won&#8217;t do it again, if it alarms you, dear. All the
+same, I&#8217;m quite sure I could see by daylight.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You promised Garnesk you wouldn&#8217;t till you heard from him, darling,&#8221;
+I urged. &#8220;It might be very dangerous, so please don&#8217;t for my sake.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Very well, then,&#8221; Myra sighed, &#8220;I&#8217;ll try to be good. But I hope he&#8217;ll
+write soon.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Where do you think we could get a copy of the paper?&#8221; I asked
+shortly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;If it&#8217;s frightfully important, dear, you might get one in Glenelg,
+and, failing that, Doctor Whitehouse would lend you his. I know he
+takes it in. Why are you so keen about it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll go into the den and tell you everything in a minute or two,
+dear,&#8221; I promised. &#8220;Is there any objection to my sending Angus in to
+the doctor?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;None whatever,&#8221; Myra declared, &#8220;he can go now if you like.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So after I had despatched Angus into the village with strict
+instructions not to come back without a copy of the paper if he valued
+his life, we all adjourned to Myra&#8217;s den, and my friend and I told her
+in detail everything that had happened. About an hour and a half later
+Angus returned with the paper. I took it from <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>him with a hurried word
+of thanks and nervously turned over the pages.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Ah! here&#8217;s a page I didn&#8217;t see,&#8221; I exclaimed excitedly, but the only
+thing on the whole page was a photograph of a new dancer appearing in
+London. Without waiting for me to do so, Dennis leaned over me and
+turned the page over with a quick jerk of the wrist.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Phew!&#8221; I exclaimed involuntarily, and Dennis gave a long, low
+whistle.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! what is it? Tell me!&#8221; pleaded Myra, anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a photograph of our friend Fuller,&#8221; I replied slowly, in a voice
+that shook with excitement. &#8220;And he&#8217;s wearing court dress, and
+underneath the photograph are the words &#8216;Baron Hugo von Guernstein,
+Secretary of the Military Intelligence Department of the Imperial
+German General Staff.&#8217;&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+
+<h3>DISCLOSES CERTAIN FACTS.</h3>
+
+<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s no doubt about it,&#8221; I remarked as soon as we had partially
+recovered from our surprise. &#8220;That&#8217;s Fuller right enough.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh! there&#8217;s no doubt it&#8217;s our man,&#8221; said Dennis emphatically. &#8220;Even
+if we had not the evidence of the torn page to corroborate it, the
+likeness is perfect.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; I agreed, &#8220;but what do you think his game can be? I&#8217;m coming
+round to Garnesk&#8217;s wireless theory.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Whatever it is, we&#8217;ve stumbled on something of real importance this
+time. We must find out what it is and show it up at once.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I hope you&#8217;ll take care,&#8221; said Myra anxiously. &#8220;I shouldn&#8217;t mind so
+much if I could be with you to help, but it&#8217;s dreadful to sit here and
+know you are in danger and not be able to do anything at all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m very glad you can&#8217;t, darling,&#8221; I said heartily, as I threw my arm
+round her shoulders. &#8220;I don&#8217;t want you to come rushing into these
+dangers, whatever they may be. In a way I am glad you are not able to
+join us, because I know how difficult it would be to stop you if you
+were.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I suppose this is all one affair,&#8221; she said doubtfully.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> &#8220;You don&#8217;t
+think this is something quite different from the green ray? It might
+be two quite separate things, you know.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t think we are likely to meet with two such interesting
+problems in such a remote locality unless they are connected with each
+other, Miss McLeod, and especially as everything else apart from the
+photograph of Baron von Guernstein points to Fuller as the culprit. I
+think we can take it that in solving one mystery we provide the
+solution to the other.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I quite agree with you, Dennis,&#8221; I said, &#8220;but what I am worrying
+about now is, what we are going to do.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The first thing you must do is to dress for dinner, and not let
+anyone imagine there is anything untoward about,&#8221; Myra advised. &#8220;And
+please don&#8217;t tell father you have been lunching with one of the
+Kaiser&#8217;s principal spies, if that&#8217;s what the Baron&#8217;s title really
+means. I would much rather you said nothing to him at all about it for
+the present, and in any case you must have something definite in mind
+as to your plans before you put the matter to him. If you tell him you
+don&#8217;t know what to do about it he will be in a dreadful state. He is
+very far from well, and all this business has told on him dreadfully.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That is very excellent advice, Miss McLeod,&#8221; Dennis agreed warmly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span>
+&#8220;Ronald, we&#8217;ll go and disguise ourselves as ordinary, undisturbed
+human beings and hide our fears and doubts behind the breastplate of
+a starched shirt. Come along.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So Dennis dragged me away, and then, realising his indiscretion,
+allowed me to return to my <i>fianc&eacute;e</i> &#8220;just for two minutes, old
+fellow.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Dinner was a curious meal, though not quite so strange as the meal the
+General and I had together the night, less than a week before, that
+Myra lost her sight.</p>
+
+<p>I hope I shall never live through a week like that again. Even now, as
+I look back, I cannot believe that it all happened in seven days. It
+still seems to have been something like seven months at the very
+least.</p>
+
+<p>We had one thing in our favour as we sat down to the table; we all had
+a common object in view. We were each of us determined to forget the
+green ray for a moment. Fortunately the old man took an immediate
+fancy to Dennis and that brightened me considerably. There are few
+things so pleasant as to see those whose opinion you value getting on
+with your friends. Only once, and that after Mary McNiven had come to
+take poor Myra away, did the subject of the green ray crop up.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Burnham knows about it all, I suppose?&#8221; the General asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve told him everything, and Garnesk and I went over the whole thing
+with him before the train went.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good!&#8221; said the old man emphatically.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> &#8220;Excellent fellow
+Garnesk&mdash;excellent; in fact, I don&#8217;t know when I&#8217;ve met such a
+thundering good chap. No new developments, I suppose?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I hesitated. I could not have brought myself to lie to him, and in
+view of the startling complications with which we had so recently been
+confronted, I was at a loss for an answer. Dennis came to my rescue
+just in time.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I think Ron&#8217;s difficulty is in defining the word &#8216;developments,&#8217;
+General,&#8221; said he. &#8220;If we said there were developments it would
+naturally convey the impression that we had something definite to
+report. I think perhaps the best way to put it would be that we
+believe we are getting on the right scent, by the simple process of
+putting two and two together and making them four. We hope to have
+something very decided to tell you in a day or two.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I shall be glad to hear something, I can assure you,&#8221; said the old
+man, &#8220;but in the meantime we will try to forget about it. You have had
+a tiring journey, Mr. Burnham, followed by a strange initiation into
+what is probably a new sphere of life altogether&mdash;the sphere of
+mysteries and detectives, and so forth. No, Ronald, we&#8217;ll give Mr.
+Burnham a rest for to-night.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>But just as I was congratulating myself that we had escaped from the
+painful necessity of putting him off with an evasive answer, if not a
+deliberate lie, the butler entered and announced <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>that he had shown
+Mr. Hilderman into the library.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, as we are ready, we had better join him,&#8221; said the old man, and
+we adjourned to the other room.</p>
+
+<p>Now if Hilderman should by any tactless remark betray our strange
+experience in the afternoon there would be the devil to pay. I
+followed the General into the library, beckoning to the American with
+a warning finger on my lip. He saw at once what I meant, fortunately,
+and held his tongue, and we all talked of general matters for some
+little time. Then Hilderman took the bull by the horns.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;As a matter of fact, General,&#8221; he announced boldly, &#8220;I ran over to
+have a word with Mr. Ewart about a certain matter which is interesting
+us all. I don&#8217;t suppose you wish me to worry you with details at the
+moment?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should be very glad to hear what you have to tell us, Mr.
+Hilderman, but unfortunately I&mdash;er&mdash;I have a few letters I simply must
+write, so I hope you will excuse me. My daughter is in the
+drawing-room, so perhaps you fellows would care to join her there. Her
+counsel will be of more use to you than mine in your deliberations, I
+have no doubt.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>However, when we looked for her in the drawing-room Myra was not
+there, and I found her in her den.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Why not bring him in here?&#8221; she asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> &#8220;He won&#8217;t bite, and it will be
+more conducive to a free and easy discussion. I should like to hear
+what he has to say for himself in view of his running away this
+afternoon, and I shouldn&#8217;t feel comfortable in the drawing-room with
+this shade on. In here I feel that he must just put up with any
+curiosities he meets.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So we made ourselves comfortable in the den, and Hilderman sat in a
+chair by the window.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Of course, you know what I have come to speak about, Mr. Ewart,&#8221; he
+began at once. &#8220;You must have thought my conduct this afternoon was
+very strange&mdash;very unsportsmanlike, to say the least.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; I replied as lightly as I could. &#8220;It was a very
+strange affair, and it rather called for strange conduct of one sort
+or another.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Still, you must have thought it cowardly to run away as quickly as I
+could,&#8221; he insisted.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It was some time before we even noticed you had left us,&#8221; I laughed,
+&#8220;and then, I confess, I couldn&#8217;t quite make out where you had got to
+or why you had gone.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;As a matter of fact we were rather scared,&#8221; Dennis put in. &#8220;We
+searched for you in the river.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It sounds a very cowardly confession to make,&#8221; Hilderman admitted,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span>
+&#8220;but I went back to the landing-stage, got into my boat, and cleared
+off as quickly as I could. I must ask you to believe that I was under
+the impression that it would be best for us all that I should. But my
+idea proved to be a bad one and nothing came of it. So here I am to
+ask you if you have learned anything or have anything to suggest.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m afraid we&#8217;re more at a loss than ever now,&#8221; I admitted. &#8220;The
+further we get with this thing the less we seem to know about it,
+unfortunately.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman was exceedingly sympathetic, and though he made numerous
+suggestions he was as puzzled as we were ourselves. I had some
+difficulty in defining his attitude. We knew as much as was sufficient
+to hang his friend &#8220;Fuller,&#8221; but I could not make up my mind whether
+he really was a friend of von Guernstein&#8217;s or not. It was a small
+thing that decided me. On an occasionable table beside the American
+lay a steel paper-knife, a Japanese affair, with a carved handle and a
+very sharp blade. Hilderman picked up the knife and toyed with it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should be careful with that, Mr. Hilderman,&#8221; I advised. &#8220;That is a
+wolf in sheep&#8217;s clothing; it&#8217;s exceedingly sharp.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, yes!&#8221; cried Myra. &#8220;If you mean my paper-knife, it ought not
+really to be used as a paper-knife at all, the point is like a needle.
+I must put it away or hang it up as an ornament.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>The American laughed and laid the knife down again on the table, and
+we resumed our discussion. Both Dennis and I knew that we must be very
+careful to conceal our suspicions, but at the same time we did our
+best to reach <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span>some sort of conclusion with regard to Hilderman
+himself.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And, I suppose, until you have searched about the Saddle,&#8221; he
+remarked, &#8220;you will be no further on as to who stole Miss McLeod&#8217;s
+dog. It seems to me that the dog was taken by the man who wished to
+conceal an illicit still, and the green flash, or green ray, or
+whatever you call it, is simply a manifestation of some strange
+electrical combination in the air.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m afraid we shall have to leave it at that,&#8221; I said with an
+elaborate sigh of regret.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Not when you have Mr. Burnham&#8217;s distinguished powers of deduction to
+assist you, surely, Mr. Ewart?&#8221; said Hilderman, and waited for an
+answer.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Flukes are not very consistent things, I fear,&#8221; Dennis supplied him
+readily, &#8220;and if we are to make any progress we shall hardly have time
+for idle speculation.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Fortune might continue to favour you,&#8221; the American persisted. &#8220;Don&#8217;t
+you think it&#8217;s worth trying?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m afraid not,&#8221; said Dennis, with a laugh that added emphasis and
+conviction to his statement.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By the way,&#8221; Myra suggested,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> &#8220;I don&#8217;t know if anybody would care for
+a whisky and soda or anything. I won&#8217;t have drinks served in here, but
+if anybody would like one, you know where everything is, Ron. I always
+say if anyone wants a drink in my den they can go and get it, and
+then I know they really like being in the den. You see I&#8217;m a woman,
+Mr. Hilderman,&#8221; she laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I must say I think the idea of refreshment would not enter the head
+of anyone who had the pleasure of your company here, Miss McLeod,
+unless you suggested it yourself.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>We laughed at the rather heavy compliment, and I went into the
+dining-room to fetch the decanters, syphons and glasses.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll help you to get them,&#8221; called Dennis, and followed me out of the
+room.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well?&#8221; I asked as soon as we reached the other room. &#8220;What do you
+make of it?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure,&#8221; Dennis admitted. &#8220;I&#8217;m puzzled. I shouldn&#8217;t be
+surprised if he turned out to be a Government secret service man
+keeping an eye on Fuller-von-Guernstein, and that when he has quite
+made up his mind that the mystery of the green ray is connected with
+his own business he will show his hand.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Something of the same sort occurred to Garnesk,&#8221; I said. &#8220;Well, at
+present we&#8217;d better avoid suspicion and go back before he thinks we&#8217;re
+holding a committee meeting.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>So I led the way to the den. I was walking carefully and slowly,
+because I was unaccustomed to carrying trays of glasses and things,
+and consequently I made no noise. I pushed the door open with my
+shoulder, Dennis following with a couple of syphons, and as I did so I
+chanced to glance upwards.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span></p><p>In a large mirror which hung over the fireplace I saw the reflection
+of Hilderman&#8217;s face, knitted in a fierce frown, gazing intently at
+some object which was outside my view. Myra was talking, though what
+she was saying I did not notice. I went into the room and put the tray
+on the big table, and as I filled the glasses I looked round casually
+to see what Hilderman had been looking at. Lying on the sofa on which
+Myra was sitting was the copy of the <i>Pictures</i>, open at the page
+bearing the incriminating photograph!</p>
+
+<p>I mixed Hilderman&#8217;s drink according to his instructions&mdash;for by this
+time he had entirely recovered his equanimity&mdash;and handed it to him.
+As I did so I happened to look in the direction of the small table
+beside him. Myra&#8217;s Japanese paper-knife was still there, but the point
+had been stuck more than an inch into the mahogany top of the table. I
+turned away quickly, with a laughing remark to Myra, which did not
+seem to raise any suspicion at the time, though I have no recollection
+now what it was I said.</p>
+
+<p>A few moments afterwards I quietly and unostentatiously slipped out of
+the room. Surely there could be no doubt about it now. The whole thing
+was obvious. Hilderman had noticed the paper, jumped to the conclusion
+that we suspected everything, and in the sudden access of baffled rage
+had picked up the paper-knife and stabbed it into the table.</p>
+
+<p>There was only one possible reason for that&mdash;Hilderman <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>was an enemy.
+In that case, I thought, he has come here to try and find out how much
+we know and to keep an eye on us. Possibly he might be attempting to
+keep us there so that Fuller could get up to some satanic trick
+elsewhere. I decided to act at once. I turned back to the den and put
+my head round the door.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Will you people excuse me for a bit?&#8221; I said lightly. &#8220;The General
+wants me.&#8221; And with that I left them. I had almost asked Hilderman not
+to go till I came back, but I was afraid it might sound suspicious to
+his acute ears. I hardly knew what to do. I should have liked to have
+been able to speak with Dennis, if only for a moment. Indeed, I am
+quite ready to confess that just then I would have given all I
+possessed for ten minutes&#8217; conversation with my friend. I stole
+quietly out of the house, and thought furiously.</p>
+
+<p>If Hilderman wanted to keep us from spying on Fuller, where was
+Fuller? Would I be wiser to wait and try to keep an eye on Hilderman,
+or was my best plan to ignore him and try and locate his German
+friend? I decided on the latter course. I went back and wrote a short
+note to Dennis and slipped it inside his cap.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m convinced they are both enemies. Take care of Myra. I may be out
+all night. Don&#8217;t let her worry about me; I may not be back for some
+time, but I shall come back all right.&mdash;R.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>I left this for my friend, knowing that sooner <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span>or later he would find
+it, and went down to the landing-stage. The <i>Baltimore II.</i> and Myra&#8217;s
+boat, the <i>Jenny Spinner</i>, were drawn up alongside, and I realised
+that if I took the <i>Jenny</i> I should be raising Hilderman&#8217;s suspicions
+at once. Anchored a little way out was another small motor-boat&mdash;the
+first the General had&mdash;which Myra had also called after a trout
+fly&mdash;the <i>Coch-a-Bondhu</i>&mdash;though the play upon words was lost on most
+people. The boat was still in constant use, and Angus and Hamish
+continually went into Mallaig and Glenelg in it to collect parcels and
+so on. I ran to the petrol shed, and got three tins of Shell, put them
+in the dinghy and pushed out to the <i>Bondhu</i>, climbed on board,
+sounded the tank, filled it up, and started out across the Loch. I can
+only plead my anxiety to get well out of sight and hearing before
+Hilderman should think of leaving the house, as an excuse for my
+lamentable thoughtlessness on this occasion. Indeed, it was not till
+long afterwards that I realised I had forgotten to anchor the dinghy,
+and I left it, just as it was, to drift out to sea on the tide.</p>
+
+<p>I made all the pace I could and reached the other side in about twenty
+minutes. I was sadly equipped for an adventurous expedition! I had no
+flask to sustain me in case of need, no weapon in case I should be
+called to defend myself; I was wearing a dinner-jacket, no hat, and a
+pair of thin patent-leather pumps!</p>
+
+<p>I ran the boat right in shore, heedless of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>danger to the
+propeller, in a small sandy cove round the point, so that I was hidden
+from Glasnabinnie. Then I realised that I had been a little too
+precipitate in my departure. There was no anchor-chain on board, and
+the painter was admirably suited for making fast to pier-heads and
+landing-stages at high tide, but was nothing like long enough to
+enable me to make the craft secure on short. However, I dragged her as
+far up as I could, and prayed that I might be able to return before
+the tide caught her up and carried her away. In those circumstances I
+should have been stranded in the enemy&#8217;s country, by no means a
+pleasing prospect!</p>
+
+<p>Having done the best I could for Myra&#8217;s faithful motor-boat, I made my
+way round the hill, climbing cautiously upwards all the time, my
+dinner-jacket carefully buttoned in case a gleam of moonlight on my
+shirt-front should give me away at a critical moment. It was a rocky
+and difficult climb, and I soon regretted that I had not taken the
+bridle path to Glasnabinnie and made my way boldly up the bed of the
+burn. However, it was too late to turn back, and eventually, after one
+or two false steps and stumbles, I succeeded in reaching a spot from
+which I could obtain a good view of the hut. No, there was no light
+there, no sign of movement at all. I decided to work my way round to
+the other side and then, if I continued to get no satisfaction, to
+descend to the house. The windows of the hut, or smoking-room, as the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>reader will no doubt remember, extended the whole length of the
+structure; and surely, I thought, if there were a light in the place
+it would be bound to be visible. I edged round the face of a steep
+crag, floundered across the stream between the two falls, getting
+myself soaked above the knees as I did so, and crouched among the
+heather on the other side of the building. No, there was no one there,
+the place was deserted. I knelt down and peered about me listening
+intently.</p>
+
+<p>Not a sound greeted my expectant ear save the incessant rumble of the
+falls. Then as I turned my attention to the house itself and looked
+down the course of the burn to Glasnabinnie, I could scarcely suppress
+a cry of astonishment. For there below me, moving to and fro between
+the house and the hut, was a constant procession of small lights, like
+a slowly moving stream of glow-worms, twenty or thirty yards apart. I
+was rooted to the spot. What could it mean? Was this another weird
+natural manifestation, or was it, as was much more likely, a couple of
+dozen men bearing lights? Yes, that was it, men bearing lights&mdash;and
+what else besides? Men don&#8217;t climb up and down steep watercourses in
+the night for the sake of giving an impromptu firework display to an
+unexpected visitor, I told myself. There was only one thing to do, and
+that was to investigate the matter and chance what might happen to me.
+I crept down to the hut, and lay on my face <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span>among the heather and
+listened. Here and there a mumble of voices, now and then a subdued
+shout, apparently an order to be carried out by the mysterious
+light-bearers, broken occasionally by the shrill call of a gull,
+conveyed nothing to me that I could not see. I looked up at the hut.
+No, there was no one there, and the windows were not screened, because
+I could see the moonlight streaming through the far side. Yet, surely,
+the hut must be their objective, I thought. Where else could they be
+going to? Fascinated, I crawled on my hands and knees till I could
+touch the walls of the smoking-room by putting out my arm. I heard a
+great commotion coming, it seemed, from the very ground beneath my
+feet.</p>
+
+<p>I laid my ear to the ground and listened. The noise grew louder, and
+the voices seemed to be shouting against a more powerful sound&mdash;the
+waterfall, possibly. I thought perhaps the floor of the hut would give
+me more opportunity to locate the source of the disturbance. I threw
+caution to the winds and slipped through the wide windows into the
+room. I moved as carefully as I could, however, once my feet found the
+floor, for if there should be anyone below they would probably hear me
+up above. I turned back the carpet in order to hear more distinctly,
+and as I did so I noticed a rectangular shaft of light which trickled
+through the floor. There was a trap-door. I knelt down and lifted it
+cautiously by a leather tab which was attached <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>to one side of it and
+peered through. I can never understand how it was I did not drop that
+hatch again with a self-confessing crash when I realised the
+extraordinary nature of the sight that greeted my eyes. There was I in
+the smoking-hut of a peaceful American citizen, where only a few hours
+before I had spent a pleasant hour in friendly conversation, and now I
+was lying on the edge of the entrance to a great cavern.</p>
+
+<p>Below me there was a confused mass of machinery and men. Some were
+working on scaffolding, others were many feet below. The nearest of
+them was so close to me that I could have leaned down and laid my hand
+on his head. I tried to make out what they were doing, but except that
+they were dismantling the machinery, whatever it might be, I could
+make nothing of it. I watched them breathlessly, trembling lest at any
+moment one of them should look up and detect my presence.</p>
+
+<p>The place was lighted by electricity, though there were not enough
+lamps to illuminate the cavern very brightly, and as my eyes got
+accustomed to the lights and shadows I was able to make out the cause
+of this.</p>
+
+<p>Evidently there was a turbine engine below, driven by the water from
+the falls, which supplied the necessary power. After a moment or two
+it dawned on me how the cavern came to be there; it was, or had been,
+the course of a hidden river, such as are common enough among the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span>mountains, but the stream had been diverted, probably by some sort of
+landslide, and had left this tumbler-shaped cave, resembling a pit
+shaft. Now, I thought, I have only to find out what all this machinery
+is for and the whole mystery is solved. I opened the trap a little
+further, and allowed my body to hang slightly over the edge.</p>
+
+<p>Then for the first time I saw, to my right, fixed so that it almost
+touched the floor of the hut, a great round brass object, mounted on
+an enormous tripod, which, again, stood on a platform. In front of
+this was a large square thing like a mammoth rectangular condenser,
+such as is used for photographic enlarging and other projection
+purposes. Had it not been for this condenser I should have taken the
+whole thing to be an elaborate searchlight. But, I asked myself, what
+would be the good of a searchlight there? Suddenly the whole truth
+dawned upon me.</p>
+
+<p>The searchlight must operate through a trap in the wall of the hut
+just below the floor. I leaned further in, forgetting my danger in the
+intoxication of sudden discovery.</p>
+
+<p>Only a foot or two away from me a man was working on the searchlight.
+Carefully taking it to pieces, he was handing the parts to another
+man, who was perched on the scaffold below him. He was so close to me
+that I could hear him breathing. I was about to wriggle back to safety
+when he looked up. He gave a sudden loud shout. I lay there
+fascinated. After all, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span>I thought, before they can reach me I can slip
+out and edge round the cliff, run down on to the shore, and get away
+in the motor-boat. But I had reckoned without my host. Even as the man
+shouted, and the others left their work to see what was the matter,
+Fuller dashed out from behind the platform, gave one terrified look at
+me, and, flinging himself at the wall of the cavern, threw all his
+weight on a rope which dangled there. I scuttled to my feet, intending
+to make a bolt for it. But the boards shivered beneath me, and, before
+I could realise what was happening, I found myself hurtling through
+the air to the floor of the cavern below.</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+
+<h3>SOME GRAVE FEARS.</h3>
+
+<p>And now, as the reader will readily understand, I must continue the
+story as it was afterwards related to me.</p>
+
+<p>Myra, the General, and Dennis sat up and waited for me till the early
+hours of the morning, but I did not return. The young people did what
+they could to assure the old man that my sudden and unexpected
+disappearance had been entirely voluntary, and Dennis, who had found
+my note, as soon as he put on his cap to stroll out casually, and see
+where I had got to, gave him subtly to understand that it was really
+part of a prearranged plan, and Myra at length persuaded him to go to
+bed at midnight.</p>
+
+<p>When I failed to put in an appearance at breakfast-time, however, even
+they began to be a trifle alarmed, but they did their best to conceal
+their fears. They scoured the hillside and then went down to the
+landing-stage. Dennis had reported the previous night that the
+motor-boat was still in its place when he saw Hilderman off, and it
+never occurred to Myra that I might make my departure in the
+<i>Coch-a-Bondhu</i>.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He hasn&#8217;t gone by the sea, any way,&#8221; Dennis announced again, as he
+and the girl stood on the landing-stage.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;You mean the <i>Jenny</i> is still there?&#8221; she asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; said Dennis, &#8220;she&#8217;s just where she was when we arrived from
+Glasnabinnie in Hilderman&#8217;s boat yesterday.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Burnham!&#8221; Myra cried suddenly, &#8220;is there another boat, a brown
+motor-boat, anchored just out there?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;No,&#8221; said Dennis, realising how terribly handicapped they were by
+Myra&#8217;s inability to see.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Are you sure?&#8221; the girl asked anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Quite sure,&#8221; said Dennis positively. &#8220;There is one motor-boat here,
+and that is all.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I suppose he took that to put Hilderman off the scent,&#8221; Myra mused,
+&#8220;and in that case he is probably quite safe. I daresay he&#8217;s gone to
+look for our friend von What&#8217;s-his name&#8217;s yacht or his house at Loch
+Duich.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Dennis clutched at the opportunity this theory gave him to allay her
+fears, and declared that it was ridiculous of him not to have thought
+of it before, and he gave Myra his arm to the house. But he was not at
+all satisfied with it, and, as it turned out afterwards, Myra was not
+very confident about it either. Dennis knew me well enough to know
+that I should never have set out with the deliberate intention of
+stopping away overnight without leaving some more definite message for
+my <i>fianc&eacute;e</i>. However, their thoughts were speedily diverted, for they
+had hardly reached the house before a strange <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span>man made his way
+towards them through the heather.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Ewart, sir?&#8221; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Do you wish to speak to Mr. Ewart?&#8221; Dennis asked cautiously.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I have a parcel and a message for him from Mr. Garnesk,&#8221; said the
+stranger, a young man, who might have been anything by profession.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, indeed,&#8221; said Dennis, his suspicions aroused at once. Garnesk, he
+knew, had only arrived in Glasgow the night before.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I see you are wondering how I got here and why I came down the hill,
+instead of up a road of some sort,&#8221; said the youth with a smile.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Frankly, I was,&#8221; Dennis admitted.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Then, perhaps, I had better explain who I am and how I come to be
+here. My name is McKenzie. I am employed by Welton and Delaunay, the
+Glasgow opticians, makers of the &#8216;Weldel&#8217; telescopes and binoculars.
+Mr. Garnesk has a good deal to do with our firm in the matter of
+designs for special glasses to withstand furnace heat, for
+ironworkers, etc. He arrived at the works last night in a car, and,
+after consulting with the manager, they kept a lot of us at work all
+night on a new design of spectacles.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I was sent with this parcel in the early hours of the morning. There
+was no passenger train, but Mr. Garnesk got me a military pass on a
+fish train, and here I am. I was to deliver the parcel to Mr. Ewart,
+or, failing him, to Miss McLeod. When I saw this lady with
+the&mdash;er&mdash;the shade over her eyes I thought you were probably Mr.
+Ewart, sir.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not, as a matter of fact,&#8221; said Dennis. &#8220;But where have you come
+from, and why didn&#8217;t you come up the path?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Garnesk gave me instructions, sir, which I read to the boatman
+who brought me here. Mr. Garnesk said I would find several fishermen
+at Mallaig who had motor-boats, and would bring me across. He also
+gave me this paper, and told me on no account to deviate from the
+directions he gave.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Dennis held out his hand for the paper. He glanced through it, and
+then read it to Myra.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Take a motor-boat from Mallaig to Invermalluch Lodge,&#8221; he read. &#8220;Tell
+the man to cross the top of Loch Hourn as if he were going to Glenelg,
+but when he gets well round the point he is to double back, and land
+you as near as he can to the house, but to keep on the far side of the
+point. You are on no account to be taken to the landing-stage at the
+lodge. When you arrive at the lodge insist on seeing Mr. Ewart, or
+Miss McLeod personally, if Mr. Ewart is not there. Then rejoin your
+motor-boat, and go on to Glenelg. Wait there for the first boat that
+will take you to Mallaig, and come back by the train. Do not return to
+Mallaig by motor-boat.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Those are very elaborate instructions, Mr. Burnham,&#8221; said Myra.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> &#8220;It
+would seem that Mr. Garnesk is very suspicious about something.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Evidently,&#8221; Dennis agreed. &#8220;You&#8217;d better let Miss McLeod have that
+parcel,&#8221; he added to McKenzie. The youth handed him the parcel, and at
+Myra&#8217;s suggestion Dennis opened it. Topmost among its contents was a
+letter addressed to me. Dennis tore it open and read it.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Miss McLeod is to wear a pair of these glasses until I see her again.
+She will be able to see through them fairly well, but she must not
+remove them. The consequences might be fatal. The three other pairs
+are for you and Burnham, and one extra in case of accidents. It will
+also come in handy if you take Hilderman into your confidence. Wear
+these glasses when you are in any danger of coming in contact with the
+green ray. I have an idea that they will act as a decided protection.
+I also enclose one Colt automatic pistol and cartridges, the only one
+I could get in the middle of the night. If you decide to ask
+Hilderman&#8217;s help tell him everything. I am sure he will be very useful
+to you. Keep your courage up, old man! The best to you all. In
+haste.&mdash;H.G.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re certainly learning something,&#8221; said Dennis, as he finished.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span>
+&#8220;Obviously Garnesk is very suspicious of somebody, but it&#8217;s not
+Hilderman. He writes as if he were pretty sure of himself. Probably he
+has proved his theory about Hilderman being a Government detective.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I have a message for Mr. Ewart, sir,&#8221; the messenger interrupted.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You had better tell it me,&#8221; Dennis suggested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;d rather Miss McLeod asked me,&#8221; McKenzie demurred. &#8220;Those were Mr.
+Garnesk&#8217;s instructions. He said &#8216;failing Mr. Ewart, insist on seeing
+Miss McLeod.&#8217;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Very well,&#8221; laughed Myra. &#8220;I quite appreciate your point. May I know
+the message?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Ewart was to take no notice whatever of anything Mr. Garnesk said
+in his letter about Mr. Hilderman. He was on no account to trust Mr.
+Hilderman, but to be very careful not to let him see he was suspected.
+The gentlemen were always to wear their glasses whenever they were in
+sight of the hut above&mdash;Glas.&mdash;above Mr. Hilderman&#8217;s house.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Whew!&#8221; Dennis whistled. &#8220;But why didn&#8217;t he&mdash;&mdash;? Oh, I see. He was
+afraid the letter might fall into Hilderman&#8217;s hands.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I wonder where Ron can have got to?&#8221; Myra mused wistfully.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re very much obliged to you for all the trouble you have taken,
+Mr. McKenzie,&#8221; said Dennis. &#8220;You&#8217;ve done very well indeed.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Oh, Mr. Garnesk also said that Miss McLeod was to put on her glasses
+by the red light.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes; that&#8217;s important,&#8221; Dennis agreed. &#8220;We&#8217;ll go up to the house now,
+shall we, Miss McLeod?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; said Myra, &#8220;and Mr. McKenzie must come and have a meal and a
+rest, as I&#8217;m sure he needs both after his journey. I&#8217;ll send Angus to
+look after the boatman.&#8221; So the three strolled up to the lodge.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;By the way,&#8221; said Dennis, &#8220;of course it&#8217;s all right, and you&#8217;ve
+carried out your instructions to the letter, but how can you be sure
+this is Miss McLeod, and how do you know I&#8217;m not Hilderman?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Mr. Garnesk described everybody I should be likely to meet,&#8221; McKenzie
+replied, &#8220;including Mr. Hilderman and Mr. Fuller. I know you are Mr.
+Ewart&#8217;s friend because you have a small white scar above your left
+eyebrow. So, being with you, and wearing a shade and an Indian bangle,
+I thought I was safe in concluding the lady was Miss McLeod.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Garnesk doesn&#8217;t seem to miss much!&#8221; Dennis laughed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He made me repeat his descriptions about twenty times,&#8221; said
+McKenzie, &#8220;so I felt pretty sure of myself.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>When they got up to the lodge, and the messenger&#8217;s requirements had
+been administered to, Dennis unpacked the parcel. The spectacles
+proved to be something like motor goggles; they fitted closely over
+the nose and forehead, and entirely excluded all light except <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>that
+which could be seen through the glass. The only curious thing about
+them was the glass itself. Instead of being white, or even blue, it
+was red, and the surface was scratched diagonally in minute parallel
+lines. Myra and Dennis hurried upstairs, and lighted the lamp in the
+dark-room. When the girl came down again she declared that she could
+see beautifully. Everything was red, of course, but she could see
+quite distinctly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Have you any idea why these glasses are ruled in lines like this?&#8221;
+Dennis asked McKenzie.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I couldn&#8217;t say for certain, sir,&#8221; the youth replied. &#8220;But I should
+think it was because Mr. Garnesk thought the glasses would be so near
+the eye as to be ineffective. In photography, for instance, you can&#8217;t
+print either bromide or printing-out paper in a red light. But if you
+coat a red glass with emulsion, and make an exposure on it, you can
+print the negative in the usual way. I don&#8217;t know why it is.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Perhaps there is no space for a ray to form,&#8221; Myra suggested.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You must tell Mr. Garnesk how deeply grateful we all are to him,&#8221;
+said Dennis. &#8220;I&#8217;ll give you a letter to take back to him. It has been
+a wonderfully quick bit of work!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I should think he has got some hundreds of the glasses finished by
+this time,&#8221; said McKenzie, &#8220;and he has already asked for an estimate
+for fifty thousand of them.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Whatever for?&#8221; Myra exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I couldn&#8217;t say at all, but Mr. Garnesk probably has it all mapped
+out. He always knows what he&#8217;s about.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>A couple of hours later McKenzie left for Glenelg, with ample time to
+catch his boat, and the others sat down to lunch. Myra was delighted
+that she could see, even though everything was red. Just as they had
+finished lunch a telegram was delivered to Dennis. It was handed in at
+Mallaig, and it read: &#8220;Don&#8217;t worry about me. May be away for a few
+days.&mdash;<span class="smcap">Ewart.</span>&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, good!&#8221; exclaimed Dennis. &#8220;A wire from Ron. He&#8217;s all right. &#8216;Don&#8217;t
+worry about me. May be away for a few days.&#8217; Sent from Mallaig. He may
+have got something he feels he must tell Garnesk about, and has gone
+to Glasgow.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I expect that&#8217;s it,&#8221; Myra agreed. &#8220;I&#8217;m glad he&#8217;s wired. I do hope
+he&#8217;ll write from wherever he is to-night. Do you think I shall get a
+letter in the morning?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Certain to,&#8221; Dennis vowed, laying the telegram on the mantelpiece.
+&#8220;He&#8217;s sure to write, however busy he is.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Though Myra was disappointed that there was no personal message for
+her, she tried to believe that everything was all right. Dennis went
+on what he called coastguard duty, and watched the sea and shores with
+the untiring loyalty of a faithful dog. That night, after <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>dinner, he
+went out to keep an eye on things, and left Myra with her father. She
+has told me since that she felt miserable that I had not wired to her,
+and went to fetch my telegram in order to get what comfort she could
+from my message to Dennis. She held the telegram under the light, and
+read it through. The words were: &#8220;May be away for a few days.&mdash;<span class="smcap">Ewart</span>.&#8221;
+She made out the faint pencil writing slowly through the red glass.
+She read it twice through, and then suddenly collapsed into an
+armchair in the horror of swift realisation. &#8220;Ewart!&#8221; she whispered,
+&#8220;Ewart! He would never sign a telegram to Mr. Burnham in that way. If
+Ronnie didn&#8217;t send that wire, who did?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>In a moment she jumped to her feet. She must act, and act quickly.</p>
+
+<p>She ran into the den, and picked up the revolver and cartridges which
+Garnesk had sent, and which she had put carefully away until I should
+come and claim them. She loaded the revolver, and tucked it in the
+pocket of the Burberry coat which she slipped on in the hall. Then she
+tore down to the landing-stage, and made straight for Glasnabinnie in
+the <i>Jenny Spinner</i>. She had got about half a mile when Dennis, coming
+up to the top of the cliff on his self-imposed coastguard duties, saw
+her and recognised her through his binoculars.</p>
+
+<p>He ran down to the landing-stage, putting on his red glasses as he
+went. His horror was complete when he found there was no craft of any
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span>kind about, not even a rowboat. Alas! I had idiotically allowed the
+dinghy to drift away. He ran along the shore, every now and then
+looking anxiously through his binoculars for any sign of any kind of
+boat that would get him over to Glasnabinnie in time to fulfil his
+promise of looking after &#8220;Ron&#8217;s little girl.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Myra has since admitted&mdash;and how proud I was to hear her say it&mdash;that
+she forgot about everything and everybody except that I was in danger,
+and probably Hilderman knew something about it. Her one thought was to
+hold the pistol to his head and demand my safe return.</p>
+
+<p>She came ashore a little beyond the house, having made a rather wide
+detour, so that she should not be seen. She knew the best way to the
+hut, and there was a light in it. She thought Hilderman would be
+there. She had passed well to seaward of the <i>Fiona</i>, and noticed that
+she was standing by with steam up. Myra climbed the hill to the hut
+with as much speed as she could.</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman was standing below the door of the smoking-room talking to
+three men. She knew that she would have no chance, even with a
+revolver, against four men. She might hurt one of them, but she
+recognised, fortunately, that the others would overpower her.</p>
+
+<p>Eventually Hilderman went into the hut, and two of the men stayed
+outside talking. The other went down the hill. It was in watching
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span>this man that Myra saw the sight that had astonished me, the
+continuous stream of lights down the bed of the burn. She waited, so
+she said it seemed, for hours and hours, before she could see a real
+chance of attacking Hilderman.</p>
+
+<p>Indeed, neither she nor Dennis can give any very clear idea precisely
+how long it was that she waited there, but it must have been a
+considerable time. At last Hilderman was alone. Myra crept to the edge
+of the little plateau on which the hut stood, and then made a dash for
+the door. She thrust it open and stepped inside, pulling it to behind
+her. Hilderman sprang to his feet with an oath as he saw her.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Heavens!&#8221; he cried. &#8220;You!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Myra drew the revolver and presented it at him.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Put up your hands, Mr. Hilderman,&#8221; she said, with a calmness that
+astonished herself, &#8220;and tell me what you have done with Ronnie&mdash;Mr.
+Ewart.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I must admit you&#8217;ve caught me, Miss McLeod!&#8221; Hilderman replied. &#8220;I
+can only assure you that your <i>fianc&eacute;</i> is safe.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Where is he?&#8221; Myra asked.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;He is quite close at hand,&#8221; Hilderman assured her, &#8220;and quite safe.
+What do you want me to do?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You must set him free at once,&#8221; said Myra quietly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;And if I refuse?&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;I shall shoot you and anyone else who comes near me.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Now look here, Miss McLeod,&#8221; said Hilderman, &#8220;I may be prepared to
+come to terms with you. If you shot me and half a dozen others it
+would not help you to find Mr. Ewart. On the other hand, it would be
+awkward for us to have a lot of shooting going on, and I have no wish
+to harm Mr. Ewart. If I produce him, and allow you two to go away, are
+you prepared to swear to me that you will neither of you breathe a
+word of anything you may know to any living soul for forty-eight
+hours? I think I can trust you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Myra thought it over quickly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes,&#8221; she said, &#8220;if you will&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>But she never finished the sentence. At that moment someone caught her
+wrist in a grip of steel, and wrenched the pistol from her.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Come, come, Miss McLeod,&#8221; said Fuller, &#8220;This is very un-neighbourly
+of you.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Myra looked round her in despair. There must be some way out of this.
+She cudgelled her brains to devise some means of getting the better of
+her captives. Fuller laid the pistol on the table and sat down.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You need not be alarmed,&#8221; he said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> &#8220;We shall not hurt you. You will
+be left here, that is all. And we shall get safely away. After this we
+shall not be able to leave your precious lover with you, but Hilderman
+insists that he shall not be hurt, and we shall take him to Germany
+and treat him as a prisoner of war.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Then Myra had an inspiration. She turned her head towards Fuller, as
+if she were looking about two feet to the right of his head.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;You may as well kill me as leave me here,&#8221; she said calmly.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Nonsense,&#8221; said Hilderman. &#8220;If we leave you here, and see that you
+have no means of getting away by sea, you will have to find your way
+across the hills or round the cliffs. There is no road, and by the
+time you return to civilisation we shall be clear.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s very thoughtful of you,&#8221; said Myra. &#8220;You bargain on my falling
+over a precipice or something. A blind girl would have a splendid
+chance of getting back safely!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Good heavens!&#8221; Hilderman cried. &#8220;I thought you must be able to see.
+Fuller, this means that that fellow Burnham came with her, and is
+close at hand. What in the name&mdash;&mdash;&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>But he, too, was interrupted, for a great, gaunt figure flashed like
+some weird animal through the window. A long bare arm reached over
+Fuller&#8217;s shoulder and snatched the pistol.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Yes, Mr. Burnham is with her,&#8221; said Dennis quietly, as he stood in
+front of them, stripped to the waist, the water pouring off him in
+streams, and covered them with the revolver.</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman and Fuller von Guernstein held up their hands as requested.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;This is very awkward,&#8221; said Fuller. &#8220;We shall have to let that
+wretched Ewart go.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>And then Dennis swayed, threw up his arms, and fell sideways, full
+length on the floor. Myra glanced at him, and threw herself on her
+knees beside the prostrate form.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Dead!&#8221; she screamed. &#8220;<i>Dead!</i>&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman pushed her gently aside, and knelt down to examine Dennis.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s his heart,&#8221; he announced. &#8220;Come Hugo. We&#8217;re safe now, and the
+girl&#8217;s blind. Let&#8217;s get away.&#8221;</p>
+
+<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE TRUTH REVEALED.</h3>
+
+<p>I will here resume my own narrative.</p>
+
+<p>When I came to myself I was dazed and aching, but, so far as I could
+discover, there were no bones broken. The curious part about it was
+the rapidity with which I recalled my fall into the cavern. When I
+found I could move my limbs freely I sat up, and discovered that I was
+in a small cabin on board a steamer. I stood up and stretched myself.
+I was feeling weak and ill, but that would pass off I thought. A
+minute&#8217;s speculation decided me that I was on board the <i>Fiona</i>, in
+which case I was shanghaied.</p>
+
+<p>I knew that if I valued my life I must act at once. I opened the door
+of the cabin, and was surprised to find that it was unlocked. Then I
+crept cautiously in the shadows of the dawn up the companion-ladder to
+the deck. Though I heard voices I could see no one close to me. I
+stole along the deck and listened. The voices were talking quite
+freely in German. Where could we be? And, more important still, where
+were we going?</p>
+
+<p>I looked around me, and saw that we were steaming slowly down a narrow
+loch, surrounded by mountains which stretched right down to the
+shores. I looked across the deck <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span>and almost shouted out in my
+surprise. For there, moving gracefully alongside of us, was a
+submarine. There were two officers on the deck of the submarine
+chatting with Hilderman and Fuller, who were leaning over the rail of
+the <i>Fiona</i>. A submarine! A German submarine in a peaceful Scottish
+loch! Then this was the secret base we had discussed. I looked up at
+the wheel-house. In front of it was the very searchlight, with its
+curious condenser that I had seen in the cavern.</p>
+
+<p>What could it mean? I decided to slip overboard unseen, if possible,
+swim to the shore, and get back over the rocks to the mouth of the
+loch, and give the alarm if I should be fortunate enough to attract
+the attention of any passing steamer.</p>
+
+<p>But suddenly an idea struck me. I crept quickly up the ladder to the
+deckhouse, threw my arms round the man at the wheel, flung him down on
+to the deck, and swung the wheel round with all the strength I had in
+me. There was a dull, crunching sound as the yacht lurched round. A
+groaning shiver shook her, and, if I may be pardoned the illustration,
+it felt exactly as if the ship were going to be sick. There were
+hoarse cries from the men, and as the <i>Fiona</i> righted herself I looked
+astern. There was a frothy, many-coloured effervescence of oil and
+water.</p>
+
+<p>The submarine had disappeared! The yacht was nearing the head of the
+loch. It was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span>now or never. I made a dash for the side, but Fuller was
+before me. He tripped me up, and I fell heavily to the deck, bruising
+myself badly and giving my head a terrible bump. I put up my arm in a
+last feeble attempt to defend myself. Fuller&#8217;s hands closed on my
+throat and nearly choked the life out of me, and as I sank back,
+struggling for breath, a loud cry rang out from Hilderman.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Guernstein! Guernstein!&#8221; he yelled.</p>
+
+<p>Fuller let me go and ran to Hilderman. I lifted myself on my elbow.
+Somehow or other I would crawl to the side, and get away before he
+came back to finish me, but as I looked out over the stern I was
+rooted to the spot by the sight that met my eyes. Or was I deluding
+myself with the fantastic delirium of a dying man? Not four hundred
+yards away was a motor-boat. It was Hilderman&#8217;s <i>Baltimore II.</i>, and
+in it were Myra, my poor Myra, and Garnesk and Angus, all wearing
+motor-goggles. But, strangest of all, a British destroyer was puffing
+serenely behind them. No, I must be dreaming. Garnesk had told me he
+was sending glasses for Myra. He had mentioned his connection with the
+naval authorities. This must be the nightmare of death-agony.</p>
+
+<p>Then Fuller rushed up the wheel-house ladder and jumped on to the
+searchlight platform. Suddenly there flashed out on the grey light of
+the dawn a vivid green ray. So, then, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span>the mystery was solved&mdash;but,
+alas! too late. The green ray was produced by a searchlight, and every
+man on the destroyer would be blind. I looked back, and as I did so I
+remembered, with an uncanny distinctness, old General McLeod&#8217;s words,
+&#8220;The rock came to me.&#8221; The warship seemed suddenly to grow double its
+size, and then double that, and so on, growing bigger and bigger until
+it appeared to fill the entire loch, and spread out the whole length
+of the horizon. I could even see a gold signet-ring on the finger of a
+young officer on the bridge. I looked round at the details of the
+boat; it stood out in amazing clearness. If one man on that ship,
+hundreds of yards away, had opened his mouth I could have counted his
+teeth. Suddenly I gasped with astonishment as I awoke to the fact that
+every man on board the destroyer was wearing motor-goggles! I had no
+time to speculate about this new surprise, for then the <i>Fiona</i>, left
+to her own devices, suddenly crashed ashore. The ship shook and
+shivered, and Fuller was thrown on his face beside the searchlight,
+and as I looked again the destroyer had resumed its normal
+proportions.</p>
+
+<p>Then the crew of the <i>Fiona</i> rushed about the deck in mad terror,
+until, evidently at the wise suggestion of one of their number, they
+decided to wait calmly and give themselves up. Hilderman, closely
+followed by Fuller, sprang ashore, and made for the mountains. Half a
+dozen shots rang out from the destroyer, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span>a rifle bullet checked
+Fuller&#8217;s progress before he had gone more than a few yards.</p>
+
+<p>Hilderman, however, managed to reach the shelter of a ridge of rock,
+and I watched him as he scuttled up the mountain side, and made
+straight for a long grey rock which protruded from the foot of a steep
+crag. And as I looked, and saw him go to the rock and open a door in
+it, I realised that it was really a great, grey, lean-to shed,
+cunningly concealed. Hilderman had scarcely opened the door when a
+huge, dark shadow seemed to fall out of the shed and envelop him. It
+was Sholto. Blind, and half-mad with fury, he sprang at Hilderman&#8217;s
+throat with the unerring aim of his breed. The wretched man staggered
+and fell, and Sholto&mdash;&mdash;.</p>
+
+<p>I turned away from the sickening sight, and looked over the side, and
+saw Myra standing up, waving to me, as they drew alongside the wrecked
+<i>Fiona</i>.</p>
+
+<p>And then I&#8217;m afraid I must have fainted.</p>
+
+<hr class="medium" />
+
+<p>I lay on the sofa in Myra&#8217;s den, and Myra&mdash;God bless her!&mdash;was
+kneeling beside me. Sholto was with us too, looking incredibly wise in
+a pair of motor-goggles.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;So you see, darling,&#8221; said Myra, &#8220;the glasses cured me completely,
+and I can see just as well as ever.&#8221; And I shall not repeat what I
+said in reply to such glorious news.</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;Tell me, dear,&#8221; I asked shortly, &#8220;what exactly happened with Dennis?
+I haven&#8217;t quite got that.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well, he saw me on my way to Glasnabinnie,&#8221; she explained, &#8220;and was
+determined to follow. He couldn&#8217;t find a boat of any kind, so he swam!
+Angus saw him in the water and ran and told daddy. When they found
+there was no boat they went and fetched the one on the loch, carried
+it down to the sea, and called Hamish. Then they pulled across. Then,
+you see, when Dennis had his heart attack, I thought he was only
+pretending. I thought he saw that we should never be able to get away
+again, and that if he pretended to be dead they would leave us alone.
+So I followed his lead. I was terribly frightened when I couldn&#8217;t make
+him answer me after they had gone, but before I could do anything
+daddy and the men arrived. Angus stopped with me, and told me where
+the <i>Fiona</i> had gone. We took the <i>Baltimore</i> because she is much
+faster than our boat. He must have been a duffer to lose that race we
+had. And then daddy and Hamish took Dennis&mdash;I refuse to call him Mr.
+Burnham after this&mdash;and brought him here and sent for Dr. Whitehouse.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m thankful he&#8217;s out of danger,&#8221; I said fervently.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;But the doctor says he must take it very, very gently for a long
+time, and he won&#8217;t be able to walk much for months. Did he know he had
+this heart trouble?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span></p><p>I had scarcely finished explaining the extent of Dennis&#8217;s heroism when
+Garnesk arrived.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Hilderman&#8217;s dead!&#8221; he said. &#8220;He made a full confession. It seems he
+is a German, and his name&#8217;s von Hilder. He has lived most of his life
+in America. He is a brilliant physicist, and has done some big things
+with electricity and light. He was here to prepare the submarine base
+you found, and he also got on with a new invention&mdash;The Green Ray. Of
+course he didn&#8217;t give the secret of that away, but we have the
+searchlight, and I have already tumbled to it partly. It is
+practically a new form of light.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;It is formed by passing violet and orange rays through tourmaline and
+quartz respectively. The accident to Miss McLeod was their first
+intimation of its blinding properties, and to the end he knew nothing
+about the suffocation part of it. I find by experiment that when the
+two rays are switched on simultaneously the air does not become
+de-oxygenised, but when you put the violet ray first it does, and it
+remains so until the orange ray is applied. The effect that Hilderman
+imagined, and succeeded in producing, was a ray of light which should
+so alter the relative density of the air as to act as a telescope.
+He&#8217;s done it, and it&#8217;s one of the finest achievements of science.
+However, I have a piece of wonderful news for you.&#8221;</p>
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span></p>
+<p>&#8220;What is it?&#8221; we both demanded at once.</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;The Secret of the Green Ray is ours, and ours alone. Hilderman has
+admitted that the reason why they did not clear it out at the first
+sign of suspicion was that, in their final calculations, they were
+unsure of their figures. That means, put popularly, that though he
+knew what he was trying to do, and how he meant to do it, the actual
+result was something of a fluke. It very often is with inventors. They
+had no drawings that they could rely on to make another searchlight
+by, so they were bound to take the whole thing back with them. They
+could send no figures, because the relative distances and other
+quantities baffled them. They could not take the searchlight back in
+pieces, because if any piece had been broken they might not have been
+able to reconstruct the proportions with critical accuracy, as we say.
+So what was to have been Germany&#8217;s hideous weapon of war is now ours.
+We have a searchlight which acts as a telescope, which will pierce the
+deepest fog, and which will dispel the most ungodly poisonous gases
+ever invented. You can see for yourself that no gas could make headway
+against the atmosphere you encountered the other day. Armies and
+navies will be absolutely powerless to advance against it. The green
+ray is the fourth arm of military power. So you see what you&#8217;ve done
+for your country, you lucky dog!&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;<i>I!</i>&#8221; I cried.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> &#8220;I like that! I&#8217;ve had less to do with it than
+anyone. What about you, eh?&mdash;coming running up with a gunboat at the
+critical moment. How did you manage that?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Well,&#8221; he replied,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> &#8220;as soon as I was in the train on my way back I
+solved the problem of the fateful hour&mdash;with your help, of course. You
+pointed out that only then was the whole of the gorge flooded with
+sunshine. Now, it struck me that, if it were not electricity, it would
+be heat or some other form of light. Then it flashed into my mind that
+if it were done from a searchlight possessed of some devilish
+properties the light would not be visible, but the properties would
+continue to act. <i>Voil&agrave;!</i> Then I had already&mdash;also with your help&mdash;had
+some doubt of von Hilder; and the hut was <i>the</i> place from which a
+searchlight would operate on the river. As soon as I got out of the
+train I taxied to my naval chief, under whom I am working throughout
+the war, and simply paralysed him with the whole yarn. I pitched him
+such a tale that he got through to the gunboat to stand by at Mallaig.
+They were at Portree, nice and handy. I rushed and got the glasses
+done for the men, picked up the destroyer at Mallaig, and made round
+here to find out what was happening. Then we sighted Miss McLeod and
+Angus, and you know the rest. Miss McLeod refused to take the shelter
+the warship offered, and Angus refused to leave her, so I stayed with
+them. We acted as pilot-boat, and there you are. That&#8217;s the lot! Are
+you satisfied?&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m satisfied, old man,&#8221; I said, holding out my hand. &#8220;Some day I&#8217;ll
+try and tell you <i>how</i> satisfied.&#8221;</p>
+
+<p>&#8220;Oh, that&#8217;s all right,&#8221; he laughed, and left us in great spirits to
+return to the searchlight.</p>
+
+<p>And so I was left alone with Myra, who a month ago became my wife. For
+my services rendered in connection with the remarkable affair I
+received an appointment in the Naval Intelligence Department, while
+many of our recent successes on land and on sea have, though the truth
+has been withheld from the public, been due to the employment of The
+Green Ray.</p>
+
+<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The End.</span></p>
+
+<p class="center"><i>Printed in Great Britain by Wyman &amp; Sons, Ltd., London and Reading.</i></p>
+
+<hr class="large" />
+<h3><a name="TRANSCRIBER8217S_NOTE" id="TRANSCRIBER8217S_NOTE"></a>TRANSCRIBER&#8217;S NOTE:</h3>
+
+<p>Minor changes have been made to correct typesetter&#8217;s errors; otherwise,
+every effort has been made to remain true to the author&#8217;s words and
+intent.</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Mystery of the Green Ray, by William Le Queux
+
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+</body>
+</html>
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@@ -0,0 +1,7123 @@
+Project Gutenberg's The Mystery of the Green Ray, by William Le Queux
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Mystery of the Green Ray
+
+Author: William Le Queux
+
+Release Date: September 16, 2008 [EBook #26637]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN RAY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by D. Alexander and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
+produced from images generously made available by The
+Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ THE MYSTERY OF THE
+ GREEN RAY
+
+ BY
+
+ WILLIAM LE QUEUX
+
+ AUTHOR OF "THE UNNAMED"
+
+ SECOND EDITION
+
+ HODDER AND STOUGHTON
+ LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
+
+ MCMXV
+
+
+
+
+                    CONTENTS
+
+
+                                                   PAGE
+
+                    CHAPTER  I.
+ BESIDE STILL WATERS                                 1
+
+                    CHAPTER  II.
+ THE MAN GOING NORTH                                17
+
+                    CHAPTER  III.
+ MAINLY ABOUT MYRA                                  31
+
+                    CHAPTER  IV.
+ THE BLACK BLOW                                     50
+
+                    CHAPTER  V.
+ IS MORE MYSTERIOUS                                 63
+
+                    CHAPTER  VI.
+ CONTAINS A FURTHER ENIGMA                          78
+
+                    CHAPTER VII.
+ THE CHEMIST'S ROCK                                 91
+
+                    CHAPTER VIII.
+ MISTS OF UNCERTAINTY                              102
+
+                    CHAPTER IX.
+ THE MYSTERY OF SHOLTO                             116
+
+                    CHAPTER X.
+ THE SECRET OF THE ROCK                            126
+
+                    CHAPTER XI.
+
+ HOW THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED                       133
+
+                    CHAPTER XII.
+ WHO IS HILDERMAN?                                 149
+
+                    CHAPTER XIII.
+ THE RED-HAIRED MAN                                167
+
+                    CHAPTER XIV.
+ A FURTHER MYSTERY                                 178
+
+                    CHAPTER XV.
+ CONCERNS AN ILLUSTRATED PAPER                     188
+
+                    CHAPTER XVI.
+ DISCLOSES CERTAIN FACTS                           202
+
+                    CHAPTER XVII.
+ SOME GRAVE FEARS                                  220
+
+                    CHAPTER XVIII.
+ THE TRUTH REVEALED                                235
+
+
+
+
+THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN RAY
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+BESIDE STILL WATERS.
+
+
+The youth in the multi-coloured blazer laughed.
+
+"You'd have to come and be a nurse," he suggested.
+
+"Oh, I'd go as a drummer-boy. I'd look fine in uniform, wouldn't I?"
+the waitress simpered in return.
+
+Dennis Burnham swallowed his liqueur in one savage gulp, pushed back
+his chair, and rose from the table.
+
+"Silly young ass," he said, in a voice loud enough for the object of
+his wrath to hear. "Let's get outside."
+
+The four of us rose, paid our bill, and went out, leaving the youth
+and his flippant companions to themselves. For it was Bank Holiday,
+August the third, 1914, and I think, though it was the shortest and
+most uneventful of all our river "annuals," it is the one which we are
+least likely to forget. On the Saturday Dennis, Jack Curtis, Tommy
+Evans and myself had started from Richmond on our yearly trip up the
+river. Even as we sat in the two punts playing bridge, moored at our
+first camping-place below Kingston Weir, disquieting rumours reached
+us in the form of excited questions from the occupants of passing
+craft. And now, as we rose from the dinner-table at the Magpie,
+Sunbury, two days later, it seemed that war was inevitable.
+
+"What I can't understand," growled Dennis, as we stepped into one of
+the punts and paddled idly across to the lock, "is how any young idiot
+can treat the whole thing as a terrific joke. If we go to war with
+Germany--and it seems we must--it's going to be----Good Heavens! who
+knows what it's going to be!"
+
+"Meaning," said Tom, who never allowed any thought to remain
+half-expressed, "meaning that we are not prepared, and they are. We
+have to step straight into the ring untrained to meet an opponent who
+has been getting ready night and day for the Lord knows how many
+years."
+
+"Still, you know," said Jack, who invariably found the bright spot in
+everything, "we never did any good as a nation until we were pushed."
+
+"We shall be pushed this time," I replied; "and if we do go to war, we
+shall all be wanted."
+
+"And wanted at once," Tom added.
+
+"Which brings me to the point which most concerns us," said Dennis,
+with a serious face. "What are _we_ going to do?"
+
+"It seems to me," I replied, "that there is only one thing we can do.
+If the Government declare war, it is in your cause and mine; and who
+is to fight our battles but you and me?"
+
+"That's it, old man, exactly," said Dennis. "We must appear in person,
+as you lawyers would say. I'm afraid there's not the slightest
+hope of peace being maintained now; and, indeed, in view of the
+circumstances, I should prefer to say there is not the slightest fear
+of it. We can't honourably keep out, so let us hope we shall step in
+at once."
+
+Jack's muttered "hear hear" spoke for us all, and there was silence
+for a minute or two. My thoughts were very far away from the peaceful
+valley of the Thames; they had flown, in fact, to a still more
+peaceful glen in the Western Highlands--but of that anon. I fancy the
+others, too, were thinking of something far removed from the ghastly
+horror of war. Jack was sitting with an open cigarette-case in his
+hand, gazing wistfully at the bank to which we had moored the boat.
+There was a "little girl" in the question. Poor chap; I knew exactly
+what he was thinking; he had my sympathy! The silence became
+uncomfortable, and it was Jack who broke it.
+
+"Give me a match, Tommy," he exclaimed suddenly, "and don't talk so
+much." Tom, who had not spoken a word for several minutes, produced
+the matches from a capacious pocket, and we all laughed rather
+immoderately at the feeble sally.
+
+"As to talking," said Tom, when our natural equanimity had been
+restored, "you all seem to be leaving me to say what we all know has
+to be said. And that is, what is the next item on the programme?"
+
+"I think we had certainly better decide----" Dennis began.
+
+"You old humbug!" exclaimed Tom. "You know perfectly well that we've
+all decided what we are going to do. It is merely the question of
+putting it in words. In some way or other we intend to regard the case
+of Rex _v._ Wilhelm as one in which we personally are concerned. Am I
+right?"
+
+"Scored a possible," said Jack, who had quite recovered his spirits.
+
+"In which case," Tom continued, "we don't expect to be of much
+assistance to our King and country if we go gallivanting up to
+Wallingford, as originally intended. The question, therefore, remains,
+shall we go back by train--if we can find the station here--or shall
+we punt back to Richmond?"
+
+"I don't think we need worry about that," said Dennis. "I vote we go
+back by river; it will be more convenient in every way, and we can
+leave the boats at Messums. If things are not so black as we think
+they are we can step on board again with a light heart, or four light
+hearts, if you prefer it, and start again. What do you say, Ron?"
+
+"I should prefer to paddle back," I replied. "It would be a pity to
+break up our party immediately. I don't want to be sentimental, or
+anything of that sort, but you chaps will agree that we have had some
+very jolly times together in the past, and if we are all going to take
+out our naturalisation papers in the Atkins family, it is just
+possible that we--well, we may not be all together again next year."
+
+"And you, Jack?" asked Dennis.
+
+"Oh, down stream for me," said young Curtis, with what was obviously
+an effort at his usual light-hearted manner. "Think of all the beer
+we've got left." But the laugh with which he accompanied his remark
+was not calculated to deceive any of us, and I am afraid my clumsy
+speech had set him thinking again. So we went "ashore," and had a
+nightcap at the Magpie, where the flippant youth was announcing to an
+admiring circle that if he had half a dozen pals to go with him he
+wouldn't mind joining the army himself! Having scoured the village
+in an unavailing attempt to round up half a pound of butter, we put
+off down stream, and spent the night in the beautiful backwater. No
+one suggested cards after supper, and we lay long into the night
+discussing, as thousands of other people all over the country were
+probably discussing, conscription, espionage, martial law, the
+possibilities of invasion, and the probable duration of the war. I
+doubt very much if we should have gone to sleep at all had we been
+able to foresee the events which the future, in its various ways, held
+in store for each of us. But, as it was, we plunged wholeheartedly
+into what Tommy Evans described as "Life's new interest." We
+positively thrilled at the prospect of army life.
+
+"Think of it," said Jack enthusiastically, "open air all the time.
+Nothing to worry about, no work to do, only manual labour. Why, it's
+going to be one long holiday. Hang it! I've laid drain-pipes on a
+farm--for fun!"
+
+It was past one o'clock when we got out supper. And our appetites lost
+nothing by the prospect of hardships which we treated rather lightly,
+since we entirely failed to appreciate their seriousness. Jack's
+visions of storming ramparts at the point of the bayonet merely added
+flavour to his amazing collation of cold beef, ham, brawn, cold fowl,
+and peaches and cream, with which he insisted on winding-up at nearly
+two in the morning. He would have shouted with laughter had you
+told him that in less than three weeks he would be dashing through
+the enemy's lines with despatches on a red-hot motor-cycle. And
+Tommy--poor old Tommy--well, I fancy he would have been just as
+cheerful, dear old chap, had he known the fate that was in store. For
+to him was to fall the lot which, of all others, everyone--rich and
+poor alike--understands. There is no need for me to repeat the story.
+Even in the rush of a war which has already brought forward some
+thousands of heroes, the reader will remember the glorious exploit
+of Corporal Thomas Evans, in which he won the D.C.M., and also,
+unfortunately, gave his life for his country. It is sufficient to say
+that three men in particular will ever cherish his memory as that of a
+loyal friend, a cheery comrade, a clean, honest, straightforward
+Englishman through and through.
+
+As for Dennis and myself--but I am coming to that.
+
+Having finished our early morning supper, we turned in for a few
+hours' sleep, Jack and Tommy in one boat, Dennis and I in the other.
+But before we did so we stood up, as well as we could under our canvas
+roof, and drank "The King"; and I fancy that in the mind of each of us
+there was more than one other name silently coupled with that toast.
+Then, for the first time in my memory of our intimacy together, we
+solemnly shook hands before turning in. But, try as I would, I
+couldn't sleep. For a long time I lay there, in the beautiful silence
+of the night, my thoughts far away, sleep farther away still.
+Presently I grovelled for my tobacco-pouch.
+
+"Restless, Ron?" Dennis asked, himself evidently quite wide awake.
+
+"Can't sleep at all," I answered. "But don't let me disturb you."
+
+"You're not disturbing me, old man. I can't sleep either. Let's light
+the lamp and smoke."
+
+Accordingly we fished out our pipes and relighted the acetylene lamp,
+which hung from the middle hoop. Jack turned over in his sleep.
+
+"Put out the light, old fellow. Not a cab'net meeting, y'know," he
+murmured drowsily. And by way of compromise I pulled the primitive
+draught curtain between the two boats, and as I sat up to do so I
+noticed with a start that Dennis wore a worried look I had never seen
+before. I lay back, got my pipe going, and waited for him to speak.
+
+"I wonder," he said presently, through the clouds of smoke that hung
+imprisoned beneath our shallow roof--"I wonder if there would have
+been any war if the Germans smoked Jamavana?"
+
+"What's worrying you, Den?" I asked, ignoring his question.
+
+"Worrying me? Why, nothing. I've got nothing to worry about. What
+about you, though? I don't want to butt in on your private affairs,
+but you've a lot more to be worried about than I have."
+
+"I? Oh, nonsense, Dennis," I protested.
+
+"None of that with me, Ron. You know what I mean. There's no point in
+either of us concealing things. This war is going to make a big
+difference to you and Myra McLeod. Now, tell me all about it. What do
+you mean to do, and everything?"
+
+"There isn't much to tell you. You know all about it. We're not
+engaged. Old General McLeod objects to our engagement on account of my
+position. Of course, he's quite right. He's very nice about it, and
+he's always kindness itself to me. You know, of course, that he and my
+father were brother officers? Myra and I have been chums since she was
+four. We love each other, and she would be content to wait, but, in
+the meantime--well, you know my position. I can only describe it in
+the well-worn phrases, 'briefless barrister' and 'impecunious junior.'
+There's a great deal of truth in the weak old joke, Dennis, about the
+many that are called and the few that are briefed. Of course the
+General is right. He says that I ought to leave Myra absolutely alone,
+and neither write to her nor see her, and give her a chance to meet
+someone else, and all that--someone who could keep her among her own
+set. But I tried that once for three months; I didn't answer her
+letters, or write to her, and I worried myself to death very nearly
+about it. But at the end of the three months she came up to town to
+see what it was all about. Gad, how glad I was to see her!"
+
+"I bet you were," said Dennis, sympathetically. "But what d'you mean
+by telling me you'd got nothing to worry about? Now that you're just
+getting things going nicely, and look like doing really well, along
+comes this wretched war, and you join the army, and such practice as
+you have goes to the devil. It's rotten luck, Ronnie, rotten luck."
+
+"It is a bit," I admitted with a sigh. My little bit of hard-earned
+success had meant a lot to me.
+
+"Still," said Dennis, "you've got a thundering lot to be thankful for
+too. To begin with, she'll wait for you, and then, if necessary, marry
+on twopence-halfpenny a year, and make you comfortable on it too. As
+far as her father is concerned, she's very devoted to him, and would
+never do anything to annoy him if she could possibly help it, as I
+easily spotted the night we dined with them at the Carlton. But she's
+made up her mind to be Mrs. Ronald Ewart sooner or later; that I
+_will_ swear!"
+
+"I'm very glad to hear you say so," I answered, "but the thing that
+worries me, of course, is the question as to whether I have any right
+to let this go on. If war is declared----"
+
+"Which it will be," said Dennis.
+
+"Well, then, my practice goes to the devil, as you say. How long after
+the war is it going to be before I could marry one of Myra's maids,
+let alone Myra? And, supposing, of course, that I use the return half
+of my ticket, so to speak, and come back safe and sound, my own
+prospects will be infinitely worse than they were before the war. The
+law, after all, is a luxury, and no one will have a great deal of
+money for luxuries by the time we have finished with it and wiped
+Germany off the map. Besides, if there's no money about, there's
+nothing to go to law over. So there you are, or, rather, there I am."
+
+"What do you intend to do, then?" my friend asked.
+
+"I shall go up to Scotland to-morrow night--well, of course, it's
+to-night, I should say--and see her--and--and----"
+
+"Yes--well, and----"
+
+"Oh, and tell her that it must be all--all over. I shall say that the
+war will make all the difference, that I must join the army, and that
+she must consider herself free to marry someone else, and that, as in
+any case I might never come back, I think it's the best thing for us
+both that she should consider herself free, and--er--and--and consider
+herself free," I ended weakly.
+
+"Just like that?" asked Dennis, with a twinkle in his eye.
+
+"I shall try and put it fairly formally to her," I said, "because, of
+course, I must appear to be sincere about it. I must try and think out
+some way of making her imagine I want it broken off for reasons of my
+own."
+
+Dennis laughed softly.
+
+"You delicious, egotistical idiot," he said. "You don't really imagine
+that you could persuade anyone you met for the first time even that
+you're not in love. By all means do what you think is right, Ron. I
+wouldn't dissuade you for the world. Tell her that she is free. Tell
+her why you are setting her free, and I'll be willing to wager my
+little all that you two ridiculous young people will find yourselves
+tied tighter together than ever. By all means do your best to be a
+good little boy, Ronald, and do what you conceive to be your duty."
+
+"You needn't pull my leg about it," I said, though somewhat
+half-heartedly.
+
+"I'm not pulling your leg, as you put it," Dennie answered, in a more
+serious tone. "If ever I saw honesty and truth and love and loyalty
+looking out of a girl's eyes, that girl is Myra McLeod."
+
+"Thank you for that, Den," I answered simply. There was little
+sentiment between us. Thank heaven, there was something more.
+
+"And so you see, you lucky dog, you'll go out to the front, and come
+back loaded with honours and blushes, and marry the girl of your
+dreams, and live happy ever after." And Dennis sighed.
+
+"Why the sigh?" I asked. "Oh, come now," I added, suddenly
+remembering. "Fair exchange, you know. You haven't told me what was
+worrying you."
+
+"My dear old fellow, don't be ridiculous, there's nothing worrying
+me."
+
+I pressed him to no purpose. He refused to admit that he had a care in
+the world, and so we fell to talking of matters connected with the
+routine of army life, how long we should be before we got to the
+front, the sport we four should have in our rest time behind the
+trenches, our determination to stick together at all costs, etc.
+Suddenly Dennis sat bolt upright.
+
+"Gad!" he cried savagely, "if you beggars weren't going, I could stick
+it. But you three leaving me behind, it's----"
+
+"Leaving you behind?" I echoed in astonishment. "But why, old man?
+Aren't you coming too?"
+
+"I hope so," said Dennis bitterly; "I hope so with all my heart, and I
+shall have a jolly good shot at it. But I know what it will be, worse
+luck."
+
+"But why, Dennis?" I asked again. "I don't understand."
+
+"Of course you don't," he replied, "but you've got your own troubles,
+and there's no point in worrying about me, in any case."
+
+I begged him to tell me; I pleaded our old friendship, and the fact
+that I had taken him into my confidence in the various vicissitudes of
+my own love affair. It struck me at the time that it was I who should
+have been indebted to him for his patient sympathy and help; and here
+he was, poor old fellow, with a real, live trouble of his own,
+refusing to bother me with it.
+
+"So you've just got to own up, old man," I finished.
+
+"Oh, it's really nothing," said Dennis miserably. "I'm a crock, that's
+all. A useless hulk of unnecessary lumber."
+
+"How, my dear chap?" I asked incredulously. Here was Dennis Burnham,
+who had put up a record for the mile in our school days, and lifted
+the public school's middle-weight pot, a champion swimmer, a massive
+young man of six-foot-two in his socks, calling himself a crock.
+
+"You remember that summer we did the cruise from Southampton to
+Stranraer?"
+
+"Heavens! yes," I exclaimed, "and we capsized the cutter in the
+Solway, and you were laid up in a farmhouse at Whithorn with rheumatic
+fever. Am I ever likely to forget it?"
+
+"I'm not, anyway," said Dennis, ruefully. "That rheumatic fever left
+me with a weak heart. I strained it rowing up at Oxford, you remember,
+and that fever business put the last touches on it for all practical
+purposes."
+
+"Are you sure, old man?" I asked. It seemed impossible that a great
+big chap like Dennis, the picture of health, should have anything
+seriously wrong with him.
+
+"I'm dead sure, Ron; I wish I weren't. Not that it matters much, of
+course; but just now, when one has a chance to do something decent for
+one's Motherland and justify one's existence, it hits a bit hard."
+
+"Is it serious?" I asked--"really serious?"
+
+"Sufficient to bar me from joining you chaps, though I'll see if I can
+sneak past the doctor. You remember about three weeks ago we were to
+have played a foursome out at Hendon, and I didn't turn up? I said
+afterwards that I had been called out of town, and had quite forgotten
+to wire."
+
+"Which was extremely unlike you," I interposed; "but go on."
+
+"Well, as a matter of fact, I was on my way. I was a bit late, and
+when I got outside Golders Green Tube Station I ran for a 'bus. The
+rest of the day I spent in the Cottage Hospital. No, I didn't faint.
+The valve struck, and I simply lay on the pavement a crumpled mass of
+semi-conscious humanity till they carted me off on the ambulance. It's
+the fourth time it's happened."
+
+"Of course you had good advice?" I asked anxiously.
+
+"Heavens! yes," he exclaimed; "any amount of the best. And they all
+say the same thing--rest, be careful, no sudden excitement, no strain,
+and I may live for ever--a creaking door."
+
+"My dear old Den," I said, for I was deeply touched. "Why didn't you
+tell me?"
+
+"Plenty of worries of your own, old man," he answered, more
+cheerfully; "and, besides, it would have spoiled everything. You
+fellows would have been nursing me behind my back, to use an Irishism,
+and trying to prevent my noticing it. You know as well as I do that if
+you had known I should have been a skeleton at the feast."
+
+"You must promise me two things," I said presently. "One is that you
+won't try to join the army; there is sure to be a rush of recruits in
+the next few days, and the doctors will be flurried, and may skip
+through their work roughshod. The other is that you will take care of
+yourself, run no risks, and do nothing rash while we are away."
+
+The first he refused. He said he must do what he could to get through,
+if only to satisfy his conscience; but he made me the second promise,
+and solemnly gave me his word that he would do nothing that would put
+him in any danger. Then at last, at his suggestion, we turned in; he
+insisted that I had an all-night journey in front of me. And so
+eventually I fell asleep, saddened by the knowledge of my friend's
+trouble, but somewhat relieved that I had extracted from him a promise
+to take care of himself.
+
+Little did I dream that he would break his promise to save one who was
+dearer to me than life itself, or that I should owe all my present and
+future happiness to poor old Dennis's inability to join the army.
+Truly, as events were to prove, "he did his bit."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE MAN GOING NORTH.
+
+
+We "made" Richmond about half-past eleven, and completed the necessary
+arrangements for the housing of the boats and the disposal of our
+superfluous fodder, as Jack called it, for by this time we had all
+made up our minds that the war was inevitable.
+
+The bustle of mobilisation had already taken possession of the
+streets, and as we stepped out of Charing Cross Station we stumbled
+into a crowd of English Bluejackets and Tommies and French reservists
+in Villiers Street. We parted for the afternoon, each to attend to his
+private affairs, and arranged to meet again at the Grand Hotel Grill
+Room for an early dinner, as I had to catch the 7.55 from King's
+Cross.
+
+I dashed out to Hampstead to my flat, and packed the necessary wearing
+apparel, taking care to include my fly-book and my favourite
+split-cane trout rod in my kit. I should only be in Scotland for a
+couple of days, but I knew that I should be fishing with Myra at least
+one of them, and no borrowed rod is a patch on one's own tried
+favourite. I snatched an half-hour or so to write to the few relatives
+I have and tell them that I was joining the army after a hurried visit
+to Scotland to say good-bye to Myra. And then I got my kit to Dennis's
+rooms in Panton Street, Haymarket, just in time to have a chat with
+him before we joined the others at the Grand Hotel. I found him
+hopefully getting things ready for a long absence, sorting out
+unanswered letters, putting away papers, etc. On the table was an open
+copy of a stores catalogue. He had been trying to find suitable
+presents for his two small step-sisters. Dennis invariably thought of
+himself last of all, and then usually at someone else's request.
+
+"Well, old man," I asked, "how do you feel about it now?"
+
+"Rotten, Ronnie," he replied, with a rueful smile. "I've been on the
+'phone to my silly doctor chap, and he shouted with laughter at me.
+Still, I shall have a jolly good shot at it as soon as the thing is
+definite."
+
+"I only pray to heaven," I said seriously, "that no slipshod fool of a
+doctor lets you through."
+
+"They won't let me in, old chap; no such luck. It's a ghastly outlook.
+What on earth am I to do with myself while the war lasts?"
+
+"My dear chap," I exclaimed, "it won't be as bad as all that. There
+will be thousands of men who won't go to the war. I shan't be
+surprised if you see very little difference about town even when the
+war's in full swing. You can't go, although you want to, and it's
+jolly bad luck, old man. Don't think I don't understand, but, believe
+me, you won't be the only man left in London by a million or two."
+
+"I know," he said penitently, "I'm grousing and worrying you. Sorry!
+But I can see you setting out for the Temple in the morning and
+leaving your house on fire. It wouldn't make it easier simply because
+you knew you weren't able to do anything to put out the fire. In fact,
+it would make it a jolly lot worse. Still, we'll cut that and change
+the subject. When you get back from Invermalluch give me a look up. I
+expect I shall be here. And, of course, give my kindest regards to
+Miss McLeod--oh, and the General," he added, as an afterthought.
+
+"I will, indeed," I promised readily, "and I'll wire you the train I'm
+coming back by. I should like you to meet it, and we can spend the few
+remaining days I have together. If you don't get past the doctor I
+should like you to keep your eye on one or two things for me while I'm
+away."
+
+"Of course, anything you like. The more the merrier," he answered
+readily; and the poor fellow brightened visibly at the thought of
+being able to do something for a pal.
+
+We taxied round the corner with my kit, and joined the others at the
+grill room. They were both in the highest of spirits, Jack, of course,
+in particular. He had been told that his intimate knowledge of motors
+and motor-cycles would be of great advantage to him, and he had been
+advised on all hands to join as a despatch-rider. In imagination he
+already saw himself up to the most weird pranks on his machine, many
+of which, much to the gratification of his friends, and just as much
+to his own astonishment, were proved later to have a solid foundation
+in fact. Over dinner we discussed the question of applying for
+commissions.
+
+"Oh, dash it, no," said Jack; "I'm going to Berlin on the old
+snorter."
+
+"Commissions are off--quite out of the question," Tommy agreed with
+emphasis. "To begin with, it means waiting, which is absurd; and in
+the second place I object to any attempt to travel first-class. It's
+silly and snobbish, to put the kindest construction on it. If I've got
+to join this excursion I'm willing to go where they like to put me,
+and if necessary I'll hang on behind."
+
+I record this remark because it was the last that I ever heard poor
+Tommy Evans make in this connection; and I think the reader will agree
+it was just what one would have expected of him.
+
+We said good-bye after dinner. They all wanted to come to the station
+to see me off, but I was anxious to be alone with Dennis.
+
+The others in any case had plenty to do, and I could scarcely let them
+sacrifice their "last few hours of liberty" to come and see me off. I
+rather expected that the excitement of the war would have prevented a
+lot of people travelling, but the reverse was the case. There seemed
+to be more people than ever on the platform, and I could not get a
+corner seat even in the Fort William coach. I bundled my things into
+a carriage and took up as much room as I could, and then Dennis and I
+strolled about the platform until the train was due to start.
+
+"Strange mixtures of humanity you see on a railway platform," Dennis
+remarked presently.
+
+"Very," I agreed. "I daresay there are some very curious professions
+represented here."
+
+"This chap, for instance," said Dennis, indicating a youth in a tweed
+jacket and flannel trousers. "He might be anything from an M.P.'s
+private secretary to an artist's model, for all we know. I should say
+he's a journalist; he knows his way through a crowd as only
+journalists do."
+
+"A typical Yorkshire cattle-dealer in his Sunday best," I suggested,
+as we passed another passenger. And so we went the length of the
+platform making rough guesses as to the professions of my fellow
+travellers. Suddenly I noticed a tall man, wearing a tweed cap and a
+long covert-coat, his hands in his pockets, a stumpy cigar stuck in
+the corner of his mouth. His hair was gray, and his face bore signs of
+a tough struggle in early youth. His complexion was of that curious
+gray-yellow one sees frequently in America and occasionally in
+Denmark--something quite distinct from the bronze-gray of many
+colonials. I nudged Dennis.
+
+"What did you make of that?" I asked him after we had passed.
+
+"I should be much more interested to know what 'that' made of us," he
+replied.
+
+"Nothing, I should think," I answered carelessly. "Why, the man's eyes
+were nearly closed, he was half asleep. I bet he hasn't taken the
+slightest notice of anyone for the past ten minutes. You could commit
+a murder under his nose and he wouldn't see it."
+
+"I think not," said Dennis quietly. "I fancy that if you took out a
+cigarette-case as you passed him he would be able to tell you
+afterwards how many cigarettes you had left in the case, what brand
+they were, and what the monogram on the front was. If you've any
+murders to commit, Ronnie, I should be careful to see that our
+American friend is some thousands of miles away."
+
+"Good heavens, you old sleuth!" I exclaimed in astonishment. "I never
+saw a more innocent-looking man in my life."
+
+"I hate innocent people," said Dennis emphatically; "they are usually
+dangerous, and seldom half as innocent as they look."
+
+"But what makes you think this man is only pretending to look like a
+dreaming, unobservant idiot, and why do you call him American so
+definitely?"
+
+"He may or may not be American; but we have to give him a name for
+purposes of classification," Dennis explained. "In any case his
+overcoat was made in the States; the cut of the lapels is quite
+unmistakable. I knew an American who tried everywhere to get a coat
+cut like that over here, and failed. As to his being observant, you
+seem to have overlooked one important fact. There the man stands,
+apparently half asleep. Occasionally he displays a certain amount of
+life--tucks his papers more tightly under his arms, and so on. Now,
+the man who has been dreaming on a station platform and is obviously
+going by the train would wake up to look at the clock, or glance round
+to see how many are travelling, and generally take an interest in the
+bustle of the station. But this man doesn't. Why? Because he only
+wakes up when his interest wanders, and that is only when he has seen
+all he wants to see for the moment. When we pass him the second time
+he will probably appear to be more awake, unless there is someone else
+passing him in the other direction, simply because he has seen us and
+sized us up and dismissed us as of no interest; or, more likely,
+stowed us away in his capacious memory, and, having no further use for
+us, he forgets to appear disinterested."
+
+"Good Lord, Dennis!" I exclaimed, "I'd no idea you ever noticed things
+so keenly. What do you think he is--a detective?"
+
+"Either that or a criminal. They are the same type of mind. One is
+positive and the other negative, that's all. We'll turn back and test
+him as we pass him. Talk golf, or fishing, or something."
+
+So we commenced a half-hearted conversation on trout flies, and as we
+approached "the American" I was explaining the deadly nature of the
+Red Palmer after a spate and the advisability of including Greenwell's
+Glory on the same cast. Unfortunately, as we passed our man there were
+three other people coming towards us, and he was gazing over the top
+of the carriage with the same dreaming look that had, according to
+Dennis, deceived me before. But we were hardly abreast of him when his
+stick shot up in front of us. His arm never moved at all; it was done
+with a quick jerk of the wrist.
+
+"You've dropped a paper, sir," he said to Dennis, to my utter
+astonishment, for I had seen no paper dropped. Dennis turned quickly,
+and picked up a letter which was lying on the platform behind him.
+
+"I'm very much obliged, sir; thank you," said Dennis, as he put the
+letter in his pocket.
+
+"I never saw you drop that," I exclaimed when we were safely out of
+earshot. "Did you?"
+
+"There you are," my friend cried triumphantly. "You were walking
+beside me and you didn't spot it, and he was some distance away and he
+did; and you say he was half asleep."
+
+"I say, Den," I exclaimed, laughing, "d'you think it's going to be
+safe to travel on this train? I wonder where he's going?"
+
+Then we dismissed the man from our minds. The train was going in six
+minutes, and I joined the crowd round the rug and pillow barrow, and
+prepared to make myself comfortable. Leaving everything to the last
+minute, as most travellers do, we had a hurried stirrup-cup in view of
+the fact that I was about to "gang awa'," and as the train glided out
+of the station Dennis turned to wire for my breakfast-basket at
+Crianlarich. The one thing that it is important to do when travelling
+on the West Highland Railway I had forgotten! We had not passed
+Potter's Bar before I decided that it would be impossible to sleep, so
+I ferreted out the attendant and bribed him to put me into a
+first-class carriage. Better still, he showed me into a sleeper. I was
+dog-tired, and in ten minutes fell fast asleep. I awoke for a moment
+or two as the train snorted into a station and drew up. I dozed again
+for some time, and then the door of my sleeper opened and who should
+look in but "the American."
+
+"Say, I beg your pardon," he exclaimed apologetically. "My mistake."
+
+"Not at all," I replied. "Where are we now?" For the train was still
+standing.
+
+"Edinburgh," he answered. "Just leaving. Sorry to disturb you."
+
+I again assured him that there was no harm done, and he turned and
+left me, the tassels of his Jaeger dressing-gown trailing after him.
+Then I fell asleep again, and woke up as we left Whistlefield. I had
+finished my wretched ablutions--for an early morning wash on a train
+is always a wretched business--as we reached Crianlarich. I was not
+long in claiming my breakfast; and when the passengers in the
+refreshment-room had finished their coffee--which seems to be the time
+when the train is due to leave, and not _vice-versa_, as might be
+expected--the guard was standing on the platform, flag in hand, on the
+point of blowing his whistle. Suddenly the head of the American shot
+out of the window of his carriage--no other expression describes it.
+
+"Say, conductor," he exclaimed angrily, "where's my breakfast?"
+
+Surely Dennis had been right about the nationality.
+
+"What name might it be, sir?" asked the guard.
+
+"Hilderman--J. G. Hilderman. Ordered by telegraph."
+
+"I'll see, sir," said the guard, dashing into the refreshment-room. It
+did not seem to matter when the train started; but, after a further
+heated argument, in which the official refused to wait while a couple
+of eggs were being fried, Mr. Hilderman was supplied with a pot of
+coffee, some cold ham, and dried toast, and we recommenced our belated
+journey. I reached Fort William and changed on to the Mallaig train,
+as did Mr. Hilderman, on whom, after the breakfast episode, I had
+begun to look with an affectionate and admiring regard. The man who
+can keep a train waiting in Great Britain while the guard gets him his
+breakfast must be very human after all. Most of the way on the
+beautiful journey through Lochaber I leaned with my head out of the
+window, drinking in the gorgeous air and admiring the luxurious
+scenery of the mountain side. But, in view of the hilly nature of the
+track and the quality of the coal employed, it is always a dangerous
+adventure on the West Highland Railway, and presently I found myself
+with a big cinder in my eye. I was trying to remove the cause of my
+discomfort, and at the same time swearing softly, I am afraid, when
+Hilderman came up.
+
+"I guess I'm just the man you're looking for," he said. "Show me."
+
+In less time than it takes to tell the offending cinder was removed,
+and I was amazed at the delicacy and certainty of his touch. I thanked
+him profusely, and indeed I was really grateful to him. Naturally
+enough, we fell into conversation--the easy, broad conversation of two
+men who have never seen each other before and expect never to see each
+other again, but are quite willing to be friends in the meantime.
+
+"Terrible news, this," he said presently, pulling a copy of the
+_Glasgow Herald_ from his pocket. "I suppose you got it at Fort
+William?"
+
+"No," I said. "I didn't leave the train. I wasn't thinking of
+newspapers. What is it?"
+
+"A state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany as from
+twelve o'clock last night."
+
+"Ah!" said I. "It has come, then." And I was surprised that I had
+forgotten all about the war, which was actually the cause of my
+presence there. I noticed with some curiosity that Hilderman looked
+out of the window with a strangely tense air, his lips firmly pressed
+together, his eyes wide open and staring. He was certainly awake now.
+But in a moment he turned to me with a charming smile.
+
+"You know, I'm an American," he said. "But this hits me--hits me hard.
+There's a calm and peaceful, friendly hospitality about this island of
+yours that I like--like a lot. My own country reminds me too much of
+my own struggles for existence. For nearly forty years I fought for
+breath in America, and, but that I like now and again to run over and
+have a look round, you can keep the place as far as I'm concerned.
+I've been about here now for a good many years--not just this part,
+for this is nearly new to me, but about the country--and I feel that
+this is my quarrel, and I should like to have a hand in it."
+
+"Perhaps America may join in yet," I suggested.
+
+"Not she," he cried, with a laugh. "America! Not on your life. Why,
+she's afraid of civil war. She don't know which of her own citizens
+are her friends and which ain't. She's tied hand and foot. She can't
+even turn round long enough to whip Mexico. Don't you ever expect
+America to join in anything except family prayer, my boy. That's safe.
+You know where you are, and it don't matter if you don't agree about
+the wording of a psalm. If an American was told off to shoot a German,
+he'd ten to one turn round and say: 'Here, hold on a minute; that's my
+uncle!'"
+
+"You think all the Germans in the States prefer their fatherland to
+their adopted country, or are they most of them spies?"
+
+"Spies?" said Hilderman, "I don't believe in spies. It stands to
+reason there can't be much spying done in any country. Over here, for
+instance, for every German policeman in this country--for that's all a
+spy can be--there are about a thousand British policemen. What chance
+has the spy? You don't seriously believe in them, do you?" he added,
+smiling, as he offered me a Corona cigar.
+
+"I don't know," I said doubtfully. I didn't want to argue with my good
+Samaritan. "There is no doubt a certain amount of spying done; but, of
+course, our policemen are hardly trained to cope with it. I daresay
+the whole business is very greatly exaggerated."
+
+"You bet it is, my boy," he replied emphatically. "Going far?" he
+asked, suddenly changing the subject.
+
+"North of Loch Hourn," I answered.
+
+"Oh!" said Hilderman, with renewed interest. "Glenelg?"
+
+"I take the boat to Glenelg and then drive back," I explained. I was
+in a mood to tell him just where I was going, and why, and all about
+myself; but I recollected, with an effort, that I was talking to a
+total stranger.
+
+"Drive back?" he repeated after me, with a sudden return to his dreamy
+manner. Then, just as suddenly, he woke up again. "Where are we now?"
+he asked.
+
+"Passing over Morar bridge," I explained.
+
+"Dear me--yes, of course!" he exclaimed, with a glance out of the
+window. "Well, I must pack up my wraps. Good-bye, Mr. Ewart; I'm so
+glad to have met you. Your country's at war, and you look to me a very
+likely young man to do your best. Well, good-bye and good luck. I only
+wish I could join you."
+
+"I wish you could," I replied heartily. "I shall certainly do my best.
+And many thanks for your kind assistance."
+
+And so we parted, and returned to our respective compartments to put
+our things together; for our journey--the rail part of it, at any
+rate--was nearly over. And it was not until long afterwards that I
+realised that he had called me by my name, and I had never told him
+what it was.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+MAINLY ABOUT MYRA.
+
+
+The train slowed down into Mallaig station. I thrilled with
+anticipation, for now I had only the journey on the boat, and Myra
+would be waiting for me at Glenelg. The train had hardly stopped when
+I seized my bag and jumped out on to the platform. The next instant I
+was nearly knocked back into the carriage again. A magnificent Great
+Dane had jumped at me with a deep bark of flattering welcome, and
+planted his paws on my shoulders.
+
+"Sholto, my dear old man!" I cried in excitement, dropping my bag and
+looking round expectantly. It was Myra's dog, and there, sure enough,
+was a beautiful vision of brown eyes and brown-gold hair, in a
+heather-coloured Burberry costume, running down the platform to meet
+me.
+
+"Well--darling?" I said, as I met her half-way.
+
+"Well?" she whispered, as she took my hand, and I looked into the
+depths of those wonderful eyes. Truly I was a lucky dog. The world was
+a most excellent place, full of delightful people; and even if I were
+an impecunious young barrister I was richer than Croesus in the
+possession of those beautiful brown eyes, which looked on all the
+world with the gentle affection of a tender and indulgent sister, but
+which looked on me with----Oh! hang it all!--a fellow can't write
+about these sort of things when they affect him personally. Besides,
+they belong to me--thank God!
+
+"I got your telegram, dear," said Myra, as we strolled out of the
+station behind the porter who had appropriated my bag. Sholto brought
+up the rear. He had too great an opinion of his own position to be
+jealous of me--or at any rate he was too dignified to show it--and he
+had always admitted me into the inner circle of his friendship in a
+manner that was very charming, if not a little condescending.
+
+"Did you, darling?" I said, in reply to Myra's remark.
+
+"Yes; it was delivered first thing this morning, and father was very
+pleased about it."
+
+"Really!" I exclaimed. "I _am_ glad. I was afraid he might be rather
+annoyed."
+
+"I was a little bit surprised myself," she confessed, "though I'm sure
+I don't know why I should be. Dad's a perfect dear--he always was and
+he always will be. But he has been very determined about our
+engagement. When I told him you'd wired you were coming he was
+tremendously pleased. He kept on saying, 'I'm glad; that's good news,
+little woman, very good news. 'Pon my soul I'm doocid glad!' He said
+you were a splendid fellow--I can't think what made him imagine
+that--but he said it several times, so I suppose he had some reason
+for it. I was frightfully pleased. I like you to be a splendid fellow,
+Ron!"
+
+I was very glad to hear that the old General was really pleased to
+hear of my visit. I had intended to stay at the Glenelg Hotel, as I
+could hardly invite myself to Invermalluch Lodge, even though I had
+known the old man all my life. Accordingly I took it as a definite
+sign that his opposition was wearing down when Myra told me I was
+expected at the house.
+
+"And he said," she continued, "that he never heard such ridiculous
+nonsense as your saying you were coming to the hotel, and that if you
+preferred a common inn to the house that had been good enough for him
+and his fathers before him, you could stop away altogether. So there!"
+
+"Good--that's great!" I said enthusiastically. "But did you come over
+by the boat from Glenelg, or what?"
+
+"No, dear; I came in the motor-boat, so we don't need to hang about
+the pier here. We can either go straight home or wait a bit, whichever
+you like. I wanted to meet you, and I thought you'd rather come back
+with me in the motor-boat than jolt about in the stuffy old _Sheila_."
+
+"Rather, dear; I should say I would," said I--and a lot more besides,
+which has nothing to do with the story. Suddenly Myra's motherly
+instinct awoke.
+
+"Have you had breakfast?" she asked.
+
+"Yes, dear--at Crianlarich. The only decent meal to be got on a
+railway in this country is a Crianlarich breakfast."
+
+"Well, in that case you're ready for lunch. It's gone twelve. I could
+do with something myself, incidentally, and I want to talk to you
+before we start for home. Let's have lunch here."
+
+I readily agreed, and after calling Sholto, who was being conducted on
+a tour of inspection by the parson's dog, we strolled up the hill to
+the hotel. As we entered the long dining-room we came upon Hilderman,
+seated at one of the tables with his back to us.
+
+"Yes," he was saying to the waiter, "I have been spending the week-end
+on the Clyde in a yacht. I joined the train at Ardlui this morning,
+and I can tell you----"
+
+I didn't wait to hear any more. Rather by instinct than as a result of
+any definite train of thought, I led Myra quickly behind a Japanese
+screen to a small table by a side window. After all, it was no
+business of mine if Hilderman wished to say he had joined the train at
+Ardlui. He probably had his own reasons. Possibly Dennis was right,
+and the man was a detective. But I had seen him at King's Cross and
+again at Edinburgh before we reached Ardlui, so I thought it might
+embarrass him if I walked in on the top of his assertion that he had
+just come from the Clyde. However, Myra was with me, which was much
+more important, and I dismissed Hilderman and his little fib from my
+mind.
+
+"Ronnie," said Myra, in the middle of lunch, "you haven't said
+anything about the war."
+
+"No, dear," I answered clumsily. "It----" It was an astonishingly
+difficult thing to say when it came to saying it.
+
+"And yet that was what you came to see me about?"
+
+"Yes, darling. You see, I----"
+
+"I know, dear. You've come to tell me that you're going to enlist. I'm
+glad, Ronnie, very glad--and very, very proud."
+
+Myra turned away and looked out of the window.
+
+"I hate people who talk a lot about their duty," I said; "but it
+obviously is my duty, and I know that's what you would want me to do."
+
+"Of course, dear, I wouldn't have you do anything else." And she
+turned and smiled at me, though there were tears in her dear eyes.
+"And I shall try to be brave, very brave, Ronnie. I'm getting a big
+girl now," she added pluckily, attempting a little laugh. And though,
+of course, we afterwards discussed the regiment I was to join, and how
+the uniform would suit me, and how you kept your buttons clean, and a
+thousand other things, that was the last that was said about it from
+that point of view. There are some people who never need to say
+certain things--or at any rate there are some things that never need
+be said between certain people.
+
+After lunch we strolled round the "fish-table," a sort of subsidiary
+pier on which the fish are auctioned, and listened to the excited
+conversations of the fish-curers, gutters, and fishermen. It was a
+veritable babel--the mournful intonation of the East Coast, the broad
+guttural of the Broomielaw, mingled with the shrill Gaelic scream of
+the Highlands, and the occasional twang of the cockney tourist. Having
+retrieved Sholto, who was inspecting some fish which had been laid out
+to dry in the middle of the village street, and packed him safely in
+the bows, we set out to sea, Myra at the engine, while I took the
+tiller. As we glided out of the harbour I turned round, impelled by
+some unknown instinct. The parson's dog was standing at the head of
+the main pier, seeing us safely off the premises, and beside him was
+the tall figure of my friend J. G. Hilderman. As I looked up at him I
+wondered if he recognised me; but it was evident he did, for he raised
+his cap and waved to me. I returned the compliment as well as I could,
+for just then Myra turned and implored me not to run into the
+lighthouse.
+
+"Someone you know?" she asked, as I righted our course.
+
+"Only a chap I met on the train," I explained.
+
+"It looks like the tenant of Glasnabinnie, but I couldn't be certain.
+I've never met him, and I've only seen him once."
+
+"Glasnabinnie!" I exclaimed, with a new interest. "Really! Why, that's
+quite close to you, surely?"
+
+"Just the other side of the loch, directly opposite us. A good swimmer
+could swim across, but a motor would take days to go round. So we're
+really a long way off, and unless he turns up at some local function
+we're not likely to meet him. He's said to be an American millionaire;
+but then every American in these parts is supposed to have at least
+one million of money."
+
+"Do you know anything about him--what he does, or did?" I asked.
+
+"Absolutely nothing," she replied, "except, of course, the silly
+rumours that one always hears about strangers. He took Glasnabinnie in
+May--in fact, the last week of April, I believe. That rather surprised
+us, because it was very early for summer visitors. But he showed his
+good sense in doing so, as the country was looking gorgeous--Sgriol,
+na Ciche, and the Cuchulins under snow. I've heard (Angus McGeochan,
+one of our crofters, told me) he was an inventor, and had made a few
+odd millions out of a machine for sticking labels on canned meat. That
+and the fact that he is a very keen amateur photographer is the
+complete history of Mr. Hilderman so far as I know it. Anyway, he has
+a gorgeous view, hasn't he? It's nearly as good as ours."
+
+"He has indeed," I agreed readily. "But I don't think Hilderman can be
+very wealthy; no fishing goes with Glasnabinnie, there's no yacht
+anchorage, and there's no road to motor on. How does he get about?"
+
+"He's got a beautiful Wolseley launch," said Myra jealously, "a
+perfect beauty. He calls her the _Baltimore II._ She was lying
+alongside the _Hermione_ at Mallaig when we left. Oh! look up the
+loch, Ron! Isn't it a wonderful view?"
+
+And so the magnificent purple-gray summit of Sgor na Ciche, at the
+head of Loch Nevis, claimed our attention--(that and other matters of
+a personal nature)--and J. G. Hilderman went completely from our
+minds. Myra was a real Highlander of the West. She lived for its
+mountains and lochs, its rivers and burns, its magnificent coast and
+its fascinating animal life. She knew every little creek and inlet,
+every rock and shallow, every reef and current from Fort William to
+the Gair Loch. I have even heard it said that when she was twelve she
+could draw an accurate outline of Benbecula and North Uist, a feat
+that would be a great deal beyond the vast majority of grown-ups
+living on those islands themselves. As we turned to cross the head of
+Loch Hourn, Myra pointed out Glasnabinnie, nestling like a lump of
+grey lichen at the foot of the Croulin Burn. Anchored off the point
+was a small steam yacht, either a converted drifter or built on
+drifter lines.
+
+"Our friend has visitors," said Myra, "and he's not there to receive
+them. How very rude! That yacht is often there. She only makes about
+eight knots as a rule, although she gives you the impression she could
+do more. You see, she's been built for strength and comfort more than
+for looks. She calls at Glasnabinnie in the afternoons sometimes, and
+is there after dark, and sails off before six." (Myra was always out
+of doors before six in the morning, whatever the weather.) "From which
+I gather," she continued, "that the owner lives some distance away and
+sleeps on board. She can't be continuously cruising, or she would make
+a longer stay sometimes."
+
+"You seem to know the ways of yacht-owners, dear," I said. "Hullo!
+what is that hut on the cliff above the falls? That's new, surely."
+
+"Oh! that beastly thing," said Myra in disgust. "That's his, too. A
+smoking-room and study, I believe. He had it built there because he
+has an uninterrupted view that sweeps the sea."
+
+"Why 'beastly thing'?" I asked. "It's too far away to worry you,
+though it isn't exactly pretty, and I know you hate to see anything in
+the shape of a new building going up."
+
+"Oh! it annoys me," she answered airily, "and somehow it gets on
+daddy's nerves. You see, it has a funny sort of window which goes all
+round the top of the hut. This is evidently divided into several small
+windows, because they swing about in the wind, and when the sun shines
+on them they catch the eye even at our distance. And, as I say, they
+get on daddy's nerves, which have not been too good the last week or
+two."
+
+"Never mind," I consoled her; "he'll be all right when his friends
+come up for the Twelfth. I think the doctors are wrong to say that he
+should never have a lot of people hanging round him, because there can
+surely be no harm in letting him see a few friends. I certainly think
+he's right to make an exception for the grouse."
+
+"Grouse!" sniffed Myra. "They come for the Twelfth because they like
+to be seen travelling north on the eleventh! And I have to entertain
+them. And some of the ones who come for the first time tell me they
+suppose I know all the pretty walks round about! And in any case," she
+finished, in high indignation, "can you imagine _me_ entertaining
+anybody?"
+
+"Yes, my dear, I can," I replied; and the "argument" kept us busy
+till we reached Invermalluch. The old General came down to the
+landing-stage to meet us, and was much more honestly pleased to see
+me than I had ever known him before.
+
+"Ah! Ronald, my boy!" he exclaimed heartily. "'Pon my soul, I'm glad
+to see you. It's true, I suppose? You've heard the news?"
+
+The question amused me, because it was so typical of the old fellow.
+Here had I come from London, where the Cabinet was sitting night and
+day, to a spot miles from the railway terminus, to be asked if I had
+heard the news!
+
+"You mean the war, of course?" I replied.
+
+"Yes; it's come, my boy, at last. Come to find me on the shelf! Ah,
+well! It had to come sooner or later, and now we're not ready. Ah,
+well, we must all do what we can. Begad, I'm glad to see you, my boy,
+thundering glad. It's a bit lonely here sometimes for the little
+woman, you know; but she never complains." (In point of fact, she even
+contrived to laugh, and take her father's arm affectionately in
+her's.) "And besides, there are many things I want to have a talk with
+you about, Ronald--many things. By the way, had lunch?"
+
+"We lunched at Mallaig, thank you, sir," I explained.
+
+"Well, well, Myra will see you get all you want--won't you, girlie?"
+he said.
+
+"I say, Ronnie," Myra asked, as we reached the house, "are you very
+tired after your journey, or shall we have a cup of tea and then take
+our rods for an hour or so?"
+
+I stoutly declared I was not the least tired--as who could have been
+in the circumstances?--and I should enjoy an hour's fishing with Myra
+immensely. So I ran upstairs and had a bath, and changed, and came
+down to find the General waiting for me. Myra had disappeared into the
+kitchen regions to give first-aid to a bare-legged crofter laddie who
+had cut his foot on a broken bottle.
+
+"Well, my boy," said the old man, "you've come to tell us something.
+What is it?"
+
+"Oh!" I replied, as lightly as I could, "it is simply that we are in
+for a row with Germany, and I've got a part in the play, so to speak.
+I'm enlisting."
+
+"Good boy," he chuckled, "good boy! Applying for a commission, I
+suppose--man of your class and education, and all that--eh?"
+
+"Oh, heavens, no!" I laughed. "I shall just walk on with the crowd, to
+continue the simile."
+
+"Glad to hear it, my boy--I am, indeed. 'Pon my soul, you're a good
+lad, you know--quite a good lad. Your father would have been proud of
+you. He was a splendid fellow--a thundering splendid fellow. We always
+used to say, 'You can always trust Ewart to do the straight, clean
+thing; he's a gentleman.' I hope your comrades will say the same of
+you, my boy."
+
+"By the way, sir," I added, "I also intended to tell you that in the
+circumstances I--I----Well, I mean to say that I shan't--shan't
+expect Myra to consider herself under--under any obligations to me."
+
+However difficult it was for me to say it, I had been quite certain
+that the old General would think it was the right thing to say, and
+would be genuinely grateful to me for saying it off my own bat without
+any prompting from him. So I was quite unprepared for the outburst
+that followed.
+
+"You silly young fellow!" he cried. "'Pon my soul, you are a silly
+young chap, you know. D'you mean to tell me you came here intending
+to tell my little girl to forget all about you just when you are
+going off to fight for your country, and may never come back? You mean
+to run away and leave her alone with an old crock of a father? You
+know, Ewart, you--you make me angry at times."
+
+"I'm very sorry, sir," I apologised, though I had no recollection of
+having made him angry before.
+
+"Oh! I know," he said, in a calmer tone. "Felt it was your duty, and
+all that--eh? I know. But, you see, it's not your duty at all. No.
+Now, there are one or two things I want to tell you that you don't
+know, and I'll tell you one of 'em now and the rest later. The first
+thing--in absolute confidence, of course--is that----"
+
+But at this point Myra walked in, and the General broke off into an
+incoherent mutter. He was a poor diplomatist.
+
+"Ah! secrets? Naughty!" she exclaimed laughingly. "Are you ready,
+Ronnie?"
+
+"He's quite ready, my dear," said the old man graciously. "I've said
+all I want to say to him for the time being. Run along with girlie,
+Ewart. You don't want to mess about with an old crock."
+
+"Daddy," said Myra reproachfully, "you're not to call yourself names."
+
+"All right, then; I won't," he laughed. "You young people will excuse
+me, I'm sure. I should like to join you; but I have a lot of letters
+to write, and I daresay you'd rather be by yourselves. Eh?--you young
+dog!"
+
+It was a polite fiction between father and daughter that when the old
+fellow felt too unwell to join her or his guests he "had a lot of
+letters to write." And occasionally, when he was in the mood to
+overtax his strength, she would never refer to it directly, but often
+she would remark, "You know you'll miss the post, daddy." And they
+both understood. So we set out by ourselves, and I naturally preferred
+to be alone with Myra, much as I liked her father. We went out on to
+the verandah, and while I unpacked my kit Myra rewound her line, which
+had been drying on the pegs overnight.
+
+"Are you content with small mercies, Ron?" she asked, "or do you agree
+that it is better to try for a salmon than catch a trout?"
+
+"It certainly isn't better to-day, anyway," I answered. "I want to be
+near you, darling. I don't want the distance of the pools between us.
+We might walk up to the Dead Man's Pool, and then fish up stream; and
+later fish the loch from the boat. That would bring us back in nice
+time for dinner."
+
+"Oh! splendid!" she cried; and we fished out our fly-books. Her's was
+a big book of tattered pig-skin, which reclined at the bottom of the
+capacious "poacher's pocket" in her jacket. The fly-book was an old
+favourite--she wouldn't have parted with it for worlds. Having
+followed her advice, and changed the Orange I had tied for the "bob"
+to a Peacock Zulu, which I borrowed from her, we set out.
+
+"Just above the Dead Man's Pool you get a beautiful view of
+Hilderman's hideous hut," Myra declared as we walked along. I may
+explain here that "Dead Man's Pool" is an English translation of the
+Gaelic name, which I dare not inflict on the reader.
+
+"See?" she cried, as we climbed the rock looking down on the gorgeous
+salmon pool, with its cool, inviting depths and its subtle promise of
+sport. "Oh! Ronnie, isn't it wonderful?" she cried. "Almost every day
+of my life I have admired this view, and I love it more and more every
+time I see it. I sometimes think I'd rather give up my life than the
+simple power to gaze at the mountains and the sea."
+
+"Why, look!" I exclaimed. "Is that the window you meant?"
+
+"Yes," Myra replied, with an air of annoyance, "that's it. You can see
+that light when the sun shines on it, which is nearly all day, and it
+keeps on reminding us that we have a neighbour, although the loch is
+between us. Besides, for some extraordinary reason it gets on father's
+nerves. Poor old daddy!"
+
+It may seem strange to the reader that anyone should take notice of
+the sun's reflection on a window two and a quarter miles away; but it
+must be remembered that all her life Myra had been accustomed to the
+undisputed possession of an unbroken view.
+
+"Anyhow," she added, as she turned away, "we came here to fish. One of
+us must cross the stream here and fish that side. We can't cross
+higher up, there's too much water, and there's no point in getting
+wet. I'll go, and you fish this side; and when we reach the loch we'll
+get into the boat. See, Sholto's across already."
+
+And she tripped lightly from boulder to boulder across the top of the
+fall which steams into the Dead Man's Pool, while I stood and admired
+her agile sureness of foot as one admires the graceful movements of a
+beautiful young roe. Sholto was pawing about in a tiny backwater, and
+trying to swallow the bubbles he made, until he saw his beloved
+mistress was intent on the serious business of fishing, and then he
+climbed lazily to the top of a rock, where he could keep a watchful
+eye on her, and sprawled himself out in the sun. I have fished better
+water than the Malluch river, certainly, and killed bigger fish in
+other lochs than the beautiful mountain tarn above Invermalluch Lodge;
+but I have never had a more enjoyable day's sport than the least
+satisfying of my many days there.
+
+There was a delightful informality about the sport at the Lodge. One
+fished in all weathers because one wanted to fish, and varied one's
+methods and destination according to the day. There was no sign of
+that hideous custom of doing the thing "properly" that the members of
+a stockbroker's house-party seem to enjoy--no drawing lots for reaches
+or pools overnight, no roping-in a gillie to add to the chance of
+sending a basket "south." When there was a superfluity of fish the
+crofters and tenants were supplied first, and then anything that was
+left over was sent to friends in London and elsewhere. At the end of
+the day's sport we went home happy and pleased with ourselves, not in
+the least depressed if we had drawn a blank, to jolly and delightful
+meals, without any formality at all. And if we were wet, there was a
+great drying-room off the kitchen premises where our clothes were
+dried by a housemaid who really understood the business. As for our
+tackle, we dried our own lines and pegged them under the verandah, and
+rewound them again in the morning, made up our own casts, and
+generally did everything for ourselves without a retinue of
+attendants. And thereby we enjoyed ourselves hugely.
+
+Angus and Sandy, the two handy-men of the place, would carry the
+lunch-basket or pull the boats on the loch or stand by with the gaff
+or net--and what experts they are!--but the rest we did for ourselves.
+By the time I had got a pipe on and wetted my line, Myra was some
+fifty yards or so up stream making for a spot where she suspected
+something. She has the unerring instinct of the inveterate poacher! I
+cast idly once or twice, content to revel in the delight of holding a
+rod in my hand once more, intoxicated with the air and the scenery and
+the sunshine (What a good thing the fish in the west "like it
+bright!"), and after a few minutes a sudden jerk on my line brought me
+back to earth. I missed him, but he thrilled me to the serious
+business of the thing, and I fished on, intent on every cast.
+
+I suppose I must have fished for about twenty minutes, but of that I
+have never been able to say definitely. It may possibly have been
+more. I only know that as I was picking my way over some boulders to
+enable me to cast more accurately for a big one I had risen, I heard
+Myra give a sharp, short cry. I turned anxiously and called to her.
+
+I could not distinguish her at first among the great gray rocks in the
+river. Surely she could not have fallen in. Even had she done so, I
+hardly think she would have called out. She was extraordinarily sure
+on her feet, and, in any case, she was an expert swimmer. What could
+it be? Immediately following her cry came Sholto's deep bay, and then
+I saw her. She was standing on a tall, white, lozenge-shaped rock,
+that looked almost as if it had been carefully shaped in concrete. She
+was kneeling, and her arm was across her face. With a cry I dashed
+into the river, and floundered across, sometimes almost up to my neck,
+and ran stumbling to her in a blind agony of fear. Even as I ran her
+rod was carried past me, and disappeared over the fall below.
+
+"Myra, my darling," I cried as I reached her, and took her in my arms,
+"what is it, dearest? For God's sake tell me--what is it?"
+
+"Oh, Ronnie, dear," she said, "I don't know, darling. I don't
+understand." Her voice broke as she lifted her beautiful face to me. I
+looked into those wonderful eyes, and they gazed back at me with a
+dull, meaningless stare. She stretched out her arm to grasp my hand,
+and her own hand clutched aimlessly on my collar.
+
+In a flash I realised the hideous truth.
+
+Myra was blind!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE BLACK BLOW.
+
+
+"Oh, Ronnie, darling," Myra asked, in a pitiful voice that went to my
+heart. "What can it mean? I--I--I can't see--anything at all."
+
+"It's the sun, darling; it will be all right in a minute or two.
+There, lie in my arms, dear, and close your poor eyes. It will be all
+right soon, dearest."
+
+I tried to comfort her, to assure her that it was just the glare on
+the water, that she would be able to see again in a moment, but I felt
+the pitiful inadequacy of my empty words, and it seemed that the light
+had gone out of my life. I pray that I may never again witness such a
+harrowing sight as that of Myra, leaning her beautiful head on my
+shoulder, suddenly stricken blind, doing her best to pacify her dog,
+who was heart-broken in the instinctive knowledge of a new, swift
+grief which he could not understand.
+
+I must ask the reader to spare me from describing in detail the
+terrible agony of the next few days, when the hideous tragedy of
+Myra's blindness overcame us all in its naked freshness. I cannot
+bring myself to speak of it even yet. I would at any time give my life
+to save Myra's sight, her most priceless possession. I make this as a
+simple statement of fact, and in no spirit of romantic arrogance, and
+I think I would rather die than live again the gnawing agony of those
+days.
+
+I took Myra in my arms, and carried her back to the house. Poor child;
+she realised almost immediately that I was as dumbfounded as she was
+herself at the terrible blow which had befallen her, and that I had no
+faith in my empty assurances that it would soon be all right again,
+and she would be able to see as well as ever in an hour or two, at
+most. So she at once began to comfort me! I marvelled at her bravery,
+but she made me more miserable than ever. I felt that she might have a
+sort of premonition that she would never see again. As we crossed the
+stream above the fall I saw again the reflected light from Hilderman's
+window, and a pang shot through me as I remembered her words on that
+very spot--that she would rather die than be unable to see her beloved
+mountains.
+
+I clutched her in my arms, and held her closer to me in dumb despair.
+
+"Am I very heavy, Ron, dear?" she asked presently. "If you give me
+your hand, dear, I could walk. I think I could even manage without it;
+but, of course, I should prefer to have your hand at any time." She
+gave a natural little laugh, which almost deceived me, and again I
+marvelled at her pluck. I had known Myra since she was four, and I
+might have expected that she would meet her tragic misfortune with a
+smile.
+
+"You're as light as a feather, dearest," I protested, "and, as far as
+that goes, I'd rather carry you at any time."
+
+"I'm glad you were here when it happened, dear," she whispered.
+
+"Tell me, darling, how did it happen?" I asked. "I mean, what did it
+seem like? Did things gradually grow duller and duller, or what?"
+
+"No," she answered; "that was the extraordinary part of it. Quite
+suddenly I saw everything green for a second, and then everything went
+out in a green flash. It was a wonderful, liquid green, like the sea
+over a sand-bank. It was just a long flash, very quick and sharp, and
+then I found I could see nothing at all. Everything is black now, the
+black of an intense green. I thought I'd been struck by lightning.
+Wasn't it silly of me?"
+
+"My poor, brave little woman," I murmured. "Tell me, where were you
+then?"
+
+"Just where you found me, on the Chemist's Rock. I call it the
+Chemist's Rock because it's shaped like a cough-lozenge. I was casting
+from there; it makes a beautiful fishing-table. I looked up, and
+then--well, then it happened."
+
+"We're just coming to the house," said Myra suddenly. "We're just
+going to turn on to the stable-path."
+
+"Darling!" I cried, nearly dropping her in my excitement; "you can see
+already?"
+
+"Oh, Ronnie, I'm so sorry," she said penitently. "I only knew by
+the smell of the peat stacks." I could not restrain a groan of
+disappointment, and Myra stroked my face, and murmured again, "I'm
+sorry, dearest."
+
+"Will you please put me down now?" she asked. "If daddy saw you
+carrying me to the house he'd have a fit, and the servants would go
+into hysterics." So I put her tenderly on her feet, and she took my
+arm, and we walked slowly to the house. She could see nothing, not
+even in the hazy confusion of the nearly blind; yet she walked to the
+house with as firm a step and as natural an air as if she had nothing
+whatever the matter with her.
+
+"You had better leave dad to me, Ron," she suggested. "We understand
+each other, and I can explain to him. You would find it difficult, and
+it would be painful for you both. Just tell him that I'm not feeling
+very well, and he'll come straight to me. Don't tell him I want to see
+him. Give me your arm to my den, dear."
+
+I led her to her "den," a little room opening on to the verandah.
+There was a writing-table in the window covered with correspondence
+in neat little piles, for Myra was on all the charity committees in
+the county, and the rest of the room was given up to a profusion of
+fishing tackle, shooting gear, and books. Sholto followed us, every
+now and then rubbing his great head against her skirt. I left her
+there, and turned into the hall, where I met the General. He had
+heard us return.
+
+"You're back early, my boy," he remarked.
+
+"Yes," I said, taking out my cigarette-case to give myself an air of
+assurance which was utterly unknown to me. "Myra is not feeling very
+well. She's resting for a bit."
+
+"Not well?" he exclaimed, in surprise. "Very unusual, very unusual
+indeed." And he turned straight into Myra's room without waiting for
+an answer to his quiet tap on the door. With a heavy heart I went
+upstairs to the old schoolroom, now given over to Mary McNiven, Myra's
+old nurse.
+
+"Master Ronald! I _am_ glad," she cried, when I accepted her
+invitation to "come in." Mary had boxed my ears many times in my
+boyhood, and the fact that we were old friends made it difficult for
+me to tell her my terrible news. I broke it as gently as I could, and
+warned her not to alarm the servants, and very soon she wiped away her
+tears and went downstairs to see what she could do. I went out into
+the fresh air for a moment to pull myself together, marvelling at the
+unreasoning cruelty of fate. I turned into the hall, and met the
+General coming out of Myra's room. He was talking to Mary and one of
+the housemaids.
+
+"These things often occur," he was explaining in a very matter-of-fact
+voice. "They are unusual, though not unheard-of, and very distressing
+at the time. But I am confident that Miss Myra will be quite herself
+again in a day or two. Meanwhile, she had better go to bed and rest,
+and take care of herself while Angus fetches Doctor Whitehouse. No
+doubt he will give her some lotion to wash her eyes with, and it will
+be only a day or two before we see Miss Myra about again as usual. You
+must see that she has no light near her, and that she rests her eyes
+in every possible way. There is nothing whatever for you girls to get
+anxious or frightened about. I have seen this sort of thing before,
+though usually in the East."
+
+The old man dismissed the maids, and went into the drawing-room, while
+I spent a few moments with Myra. I was delighted to see the General
+taking it so well, as I had even been afraid of his total collapse, so
+I took what comfort I could from his ready assurance that he was quite
+accustomed to that sort of thing. But when, some twenty minutes later,
+I went to look for him in the drawing-room, and found him prostrate on
+the sofa, his head buried in his arms, I realised whence Myra had
+derived her pluck. He looked up as he heard the door open, and tears
+were streaming down his rugged old face.
+
+"Never mind me, Ronald," he said brokenly. "Never mind me. I shall be
+all right in a minute. I--I didn't expect this, but I shall be all
+right in a minute." I closed the door softly and left him alone.
+
+I found Angus had harnessed the pony, and was just about to start for
+Glenelg to fetch Doctor Whitehouse. So I told him to tell the General
+that I should be better able to explain to the doctor what had
+happened, and, glad of the diversion, I drove in for him myself. But
+when he arrived he made a long and searching examination, patted
+Myra's head, and told her the nerve had been strained by the glare on
+the water, and rest was all that was needed; and, as soon as he got
+outside her door, he sighed and shook his head. In the library he made
+no bones about it, and her father and I were both grateful to him.
+
+"It's not a bit of use my saying I know when I don't," the doctor
+declared emphatically. "I'm puzzled--indeed, I'm absolutely beaten.
+This is a thing I've not only never come across before, but I've never
+even read about it. This green flash, the suddenness of it, the
+absence of pain--she says she feels perfectly well. She could see
+wonderfully well up to the second it happened; no warning headaches,
+and nothing whatever to account for it. I have known a sudden shock to
+the system produce instantaneous blindness, such as a man in a very
+heated state diving into ice-cold water. But in this case there is
+nothing to go by. I can only do her harm by pretending to know what I
+don't know, and you know as much as I do. She must see a specialist,
+and the sooner the better. I would recommend Sir Gaire Olvery; that
+would mean taking her up to London. Mr. Herbert Garnesk is the second
+greatest oculist in the country; but undoubtedly Sir Gaire is first.
+Meanwhile I will give her a little nerve tonic; it will do her no
+harm, and will give her reason to think that we know how to treat her,
+so that it may do her good. She must wear the shade I brought her, and
+take care her eyes are never exposed to the light."
+
+"The fact that you yourself can make nothing of it is for us or
+against us?" asked the General, in an anxious voice.
+
+He was looking haggard and tired out.
+
+"In what way?" queried the doctor.
+
+"I mean that if she had--er--totally lost her--the use of her
+eyes--for all time, could you be certain of that or not? Or can
+you give us any reason to hope that the very fact of your not
+understanding the nature of the case points to her getting over it?"
+
+"Ah," said the doctor, "I'm not going to be so unfair to you as to say
+that. I will say emphatically that she has not absolutely hopelessly
+lost her sight. The nerves are not dead. This green veil may be
+lifted, possibly, as suddenly as it fell; but I am talking to men, and
+I want you to understand that I can give no idea as to when that may
+be. I pray that it may be soon--very soon."
+
+"I'm glad you're so straightforward about it, Whitehouse," said the
+old man, as he sank into a chair. "I don't need to be buoyed up by any
+false hopes. You can understand that it is a very terrible blow to Mr.
+Ewart and myself."
+
+"I can indeed," said the doctor solemnly. "I brought her into the
+world, you know. It is a tragic shock to me. I'll get back now, if
+you'll excuse me. I have a very serious case in the village, but I'll
+be over first thing in the morning, and I'll bring you a small bottle
+of something with me. You'll need it with this anxiety."
+
+"Nonsense, Whitehouse," declared the General stoutly. "I'm perfectly
+all right. There's nothing at all the matter with me. I don't need any
+of your begad slush."
+
+"Now, my dear friend," said the medical man cunningly, "it's my
+business to look ahead. In the next few days you'll be too anxious to
+eat, so I'm going to bring you something that will simply stimulate
+your appetite and make you want to eat. It's not good for any man to
+go without his meals, especially when that man's getting on for
+sixty."
+
+"Thank ye, my dear fellow," said the old man, more graciously.
+"I'm sorry to be such a boor, but I thought you meant some begad
+tonic." The General was getting on for seventy; to be exact, he was
+sixty-nine--he married at forty-six--and when the medicine came he
+took it, "because, after all, it was begad decent of Whitehouse to
+have thought of it."
+
+I spent a miserable night. I went to bed early, and lay awake till
+daybreak. The hideous nightmare of the green ray kept me awake for
+many nights to come. The General agreed with me that we must waste no
+time, and it was arranged that we should take Myra up to London the
+next day.
+
+"You know, Ronald," said the old man to me as we sat together after
+the mockery that would otherwise have been an excellent dinner, "I
+was particularly glad to see you to-day. I've been very worried
+about--well, about myself lately. I had an extraordinary experience
+the other day which I should never dare to relate to anyone whom I
+could not absolutely rely on to believe me. I've been fidgeting for
+the last month or two, and that window that you say you saw to-day has
+got very much on my nerves. I've been imagining that it's a heliograph
+from an enemy encampment. Simply nerves, of course; but nerves ought
+not to account for extraordinary optical delusions or hallucinations."
+
+"Hallucinations?" I asked anxiously. "What sort of hallucinations?"
+
+"I hardly like to tell you, my boy," he answered, nervously twirling
+his liqueur glass in his fingers. "You see, you're young, and
+I'm--well, to tell you the truth, I'm getting old, and when you get
+old you get nerves, and they can be terrible things, nerves." I looked
+up at the haggard face, drawn into deep furrows with the new trouble
+that had fallen on the old man, and I was shocked and startled to see
+a look of absolute fear in his eyes. I leaned forward, and laid my
+hand on his wrist.
+
+"Tell me," I suggested, as gently as I could. He brightened at once,
+and patted my arm affectionately.
+
+"I couldn't tell the little woman," he muttered. "She--she'd have been
+frightened, and she might have thought I was going mad. I couldn't
+bear that. I hadn't the courage to tell Whitehouse either; but you're
+a good chap, Ronald, and you're very fond of my girlie, and your
+father and I were pals, as you boys would say. I daresay it was only
+a sort of waking dream, or----" He broke off and stared at the
+table-cloth. I took the glass from his hand, and filled it with
+liqueur brandy, and put it beside him. He sipped it thoughtfully.
+Suddenly he turned to me, and brought his hand down on the table with
+a bang.
+
+"I swear I'm not mad, Ronald!" he cried fiercely. "There must be some
+explanation of it. I know I'm sane."
+
+"What was it exactly?" I asked quietly. "Nothing on God's earth will
+persuade me that you are mad, sir."
+
+"Thank you, my boy. I'll tell you what happened to me. You won't be
+able to explain it, but you shall hear just what it was. You may think
+it's silly of me to get nervous of what sounds like an absurdity, but
+you see it happened where--where to-day's tragedy happened."
+
+"What Myra calls the Chemist's Rock?" I asked, by this time intensely
+interested.
+
+"At the Chemist's Rock," he replied. "It was a lovely afternoon, just
+such an afternoon as to-day. I had been going to fish with girlie, but
+I was a little tired, and--er--I had some letters to write, so I said
+I would meet her later in the afternoon. It was agreed we should meet
+at the Chemist's Rock at half-past four. I left the house about a
+quarter-past, and strolled down the river to the Fank Pool, crossed
+the stream in the boat that lies there, and walked up the opposite
+bank past Dead Man's Pool towards the Chemist's Rock. I mention all
+this to show you that I was feeling well enough to enjoy a stroll, and
+a very rocky stroll at that, because, if I hadn't been feeling
+perfectly fit, I should have gone up the back way past the stable, the
+way you came back this afternoon. So you see, I was undoubtedly quite
+well, my boy. However, to get on with the tale. As soon as I came in
+sight of our meeting-place I looked up to see if girlie had got there
+before me. She was not there. I looked further up stream, and saw
+Sholto come tearing down over the rocks. I knew that he had seen me,
+and that she was following him. I naturally strolled on to go to the
+rock--I say I went----" He broke off, and passed his hands across his
+eyes.
+
+"Yes," I said softly; "you went to the rock, and Myra met you----"
+
+"No," he said; "I didn't. I didn't go to the rock."
+
+"But I don't understand," I said, as he remained silent for some
+moments. The old man leaned forward, and laid a trembling,
+fever-scorched hand on mine.
+
+"Ronald," he said, in a voice that shook with genuine horror, and sent
+a cold shiver down my spine, "I did not go to the rock. _The rock came
+to me._"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+IS MORE MYSTERIOUS.
+
+
+I sat and stared at the old man in astonishment. Obviously he was
+fully convinced that he was giving me an accurate account of what
+had happened, and equally obviously he was perfectly sane.
+
+"That is all," he said presently. "The rock came to me."
+
+"Good heavens!" I exclaimed, suddenly brought to my senses by the
+sound of his voice. "What an extraordinary thing!"
+
+"For a moment I thought I was mad, and sometimes, when I have thought
+over it since--and the Lord knows how many times I've done that--I've
+come to the conclusion that I must have fallen asleep. But even now
+the fear haunts me that my mind may be going."
+
+"You mustn't imagine anything like that, General," I advised
+seriously. "Whatever you do, don't encourage any doubts of your own
+sanity. There must be some explanation of this, although I can't for
+the moment imagine what it can possibly be. It is a remarkable thing,
+and I fancy you will find, when we do know the explanation, that
+anyone else standing where you were at that time would have seen
+exactly the same thing. The rock stands out of the water; it is just
+above a deep pool, and probably it was a sort of mirage effect, and
+not by any means a figment of your brain."
+
+To my surprise the old man leaned back in his chair and burst out
+laughing.
+
+"Of course," he exclaimed. "I never thought of that--a sort of mirage.
+Well, I'm begad thankful you suggested that, Ronald. I've no doubt
+that it was something of the sort. What a begad old fool I am. Let us
+pray that our poor little girl's trouble," he added solemnly, "will
+have some equally simple solution."
+
+The General was so relieved that I had given him, at any rate, some
+sort of reason to believe that his brain was not yet going, that he
+began to declare that he was convinced Myra would be better in a day
+or two. So we arranged that I should take her up to London the next
+day, and leave her in charge of her aunt, Lady Ruslit, and then, as
+soon as we had heard Sir Gaire's verdict, I was to bring her back
+again. General McLeod had been anxious at first to come with us, but I
+pointed out that he would be of more use to Myra if he stayed behind,
+and kept an eye on her interests in the neighbourhood. I promised to
+wire him the result of the interview with Olvery as soon as I knew it.
+And just about a quarter to ten we went to bed.
+
+"Ronald," said the old man, as we shook hands outside my door,
+"there's just one thing I wasn't frank with you about in the matter of
+the Chemist's Rock. I am anxious to believe that it's a point of no
+particular importance. You know the rock is a sort of sandstone, not
+grey like the rest, but nearly white?"
+
+"Yes," I answered, wondering what could be coming next.
+
+"Well," said the old man, "that day when I saw it appearing to come
+towards me it was not white, but green."
+
+"No," I said at last, when we had spent another twenty minutes
+discussing this new aspect in my room. "It's beyond me. I can't see
+how the two events can be connected, and yet they are so unusual that
+one would think they must be. I certainly think it is a point to put
+in detail before Olvery."
+
+"On the whole, I quite agree with you," said the General. "I am rather
+afraid he may take us for a pack of lunatics, and refuse to be
+bothered with the case."
+
+"I'm sure he won't do that," I asserted confidently. "And he may have
+some medical knowledge that will just shake the puzzle into place, and
+explain the whole mystery to us. It seems to me a most remarkable
+thing that these two strange affairs should have happened in exactly
+the same place. That it is some strange freak of nature I have no
+doubt, but I am absolutely at a loss to think what it can be."
+
+It can hardly be wondered at that, as I have said before, sleep and I
+were strangers that night, and I was glad enough when the time came
+for me to get up.
+
+Myra came down after breakfast, wonderfully brave and bright, but
+there was no sign whatever of her sight returning to her. The
+leave-taking was a wretched business, and I cannot dwell on it. Sandy
+started early to sail to Mallaig with the luggage, and we followed in
+the motor-boat, Angus at the engine, old Mary McNiven in the bows,
+while I took the tiller, and Myra lay on a pile of cushions at my
+feet, her head resting on my knee, her arm round Sholto's neck; for
+she had wanted the dog to see her off at the station. The old General
+managed to keep up a cheery manner as he said good-bye at the
+landing-stage, but he was looking so care-worn and haggard that I was
+glad that he had been persuaded not to come up to London with us. He
+was certainly not in a fit state for the fatigues of a long journey.
+As we passed Glasnabinnie the _Baltimore_ slid out from the side of
+the shed that stood on the edge of the miniature harbour which Nature
+had thoughtfully bestowed on the place.
+
+"I can hear a motor-boat," said Myra, suddenly sitting up.
+
+"Yes," I replied. "It's Hilderman's."
+
+"Is she ahead of us?" she asked.
+
+I looked round, and saw that the _Baltimore_ was putting out to round
+the point.
+
+"No, she's about level," I answered. "She's evidently making for
+Mallaig. We are, if anything, a little ahead, but they will soon pass
+us, I should think."
+
+"Oh, Ron," cried Myra, with childish excitement, "don't let them beat
+us. Angus, put some life into her. We _must_ make the harbour first."
+
+Angus did his best, and I set her course as near in shore as I dared
+on that treacherous coast. The _Baltimore_ glided out to sea with the
+easy grace of a powerful and beautiful animal, and as we passed the
+jagged promontory she was coming up about thirty yards behind us.
+
+"Challenge him, Ron," Myra exclaimed; "you've met him."
+
+I turned, and saw Hilderman and two other men in the boat, one a
+friend apparently, and the other the mechanic. I stood up and waved to
+him.
+
+"We'll race you to Mallaig," I shouted.
+
+"It's a bet," he agreed readily, at the top of his voice, waving back.
+
+It was a ding-dong business across the mouth of Nevis, and the
+_Baltimore_ was leading, if anything, but we had not far to go, and
+our opponents had taken a course a good deal farther out to sea than
+we were. Coming up by the lighthouse, however, the _Baltimore_ drew in
+at a magnificent pace, and swept in to pass inside the lighthouse
+rock. Hilderman, who was quite distinct at the short distance, stood
+up in the stern of the _Baltimore_, and looked at us. We were making
+good time, but we had no chance of outdistancing his powerful boat.
+But, as he looked at us, and was evidently about to shout some
+triumphant greeting, I saw him catch sight of Myra, lying at my feet,
+her face hidden in the shade over her eyes. Suddenly, without the
+slightest warning, he swung the tiller, and, turning out again, took
+the long course round the lighthouse, and we slid alongside the
+fish-table a good minute ahead of him. Myra was delighted; she had no
+suspicion that we had virtually lost the race, and the trifling
+excitement gave her a real pleasure. Angus, I could see, was puzzled,
+but I signed to him to say nothing. My heart warmed to Hilderman; he
+had seen that Myra was not well, and, divining that it would give her
+some pleasure to win the race, he had tactfully given way to us. I was
+really grateful to him for his kindly thought, and determined to thank
+him as soon as I could. We had nearly half an hour to wait for the
+mid-day train, and, after seeing Myra and Mary safely ensconced in the
+Marine Hotel, I went out with Sholto to get the tickets, telegraph to
+Dennis, and express my gratitude to Hilderman. But when I stepped out
+of the hotel he was standing in the road waiting for me.
+
+"Good morning, Mr. Ewart," he said, coming forward to offer me his
+hand. "Is there anything the matter with Miss McLeod?"
+
+"She's not very well," I replied. "She has something the matter with
+her eyes. It was very good of you to let us win our little race. Every
+little pleasure that we can give Miss McLeod just at this time is of
+great value to us."
+
+"Eyes?" said Hilderman, thoughtfully, with the same dreamy expression
+that Dennis had pointed out at King's Cross. "What sort of thing is
+it? I know something about eyes."
+
+"I'm afraid I can tell you nothing," I replied. "She has suddenly lost
+her sight in the most amazing and terrible manner. We are just taking
+her up to London to see a specialist."
+
+"Had she any pain?" he asked, "or any dizziness or fainting, or
+anything like that?"
+
+"No," I said; "there is absolutely nothing to go by. It is a most
+extraordinary affair, and a very terrible blow to us all."
+
+"It must be," he said gently, "very, very terrible. I have heard so
+much about Miss McLeod that I even feel it myself. I am deeply grieved
+to hear this, deeply grieved." He spoke very sympathetically, and I
+felt that it was very kind of him to take such a friendly interest in
+his unknown neighbour.
+
+"I think you'd better join me in a brandy and soda, Mr. Ewart," he
+said, laying a hand on my arm. "I don't suppose you know it, but you
+look ten years older than you did yesterday."
+
+Yesterday! Good heavens! Had all this happened in a day? I was
+certainly feeling far from myself, and I accepted his invitation
+readily enough. We turned into the refreshment-room outside the
+station, and I had a stiff whisky and soda, realising how far away
+from London I was when the man gave me the whisky in one glass and
+the soda in another.
+
+"Tell me," said Hilderman, "if it is not very rude of me to ask, or
+too painful for you to speak about, what was Miss McLeod doing when
+this happened? Reading, or what?" I gave him a rough outline of the
+circumstances, but, in view of what the General had told me the night
+before, I said nothing about the mystery of the green ray. We wanted
+to retain our reputation for sanity as long as we could, and no
+outsider who did not know the General personally would believe that
+his astonishing experience was anything other than the strange
+creation of a nerve-wrought brain.
+
+"And that was all?" he asked thoughtfully.
+
+"Yes, that was all," I replied.
+
+"I suppose you haven't decided what specialist you will take her
+to when you get her to London?" he queried. I was about to reply when
+I heard Sholto in a heated argument with some other dog, and I bolted
+out, with a hurried excuse, to bring him in. As I returned, with my
+hand on his collar, the harbour-master greeted me, and told me
+we might have some difficulty in reaching London, as the train
+service was likely to be disorganised owing to the transport of troops
+and munitions. When I rejoined Hilderman I was full of this new
+development. It would be both awkward and unpleasant to be turned out
+of the train before we reached London; and every moment's delay might
+mean injury to my poor Myra.
+
+"I don't think you need worry at all, Mr. Ewart," my new friend
+assured me. "The trains will run all right. They may alter the
+services where they have too many trains, but here they are not likely
+to do so. Thank heaven, I shall not be travelling again for some time.
+I hate it, although I have to run about a good deal. I have a few
+modest investments that take up a considerable portion of my time. I
+figure on one or two boards, you know."
+
+I thanked him for his kindly interest, and left him. I wired to Dennis
+not to meet the train, but to be prepared to put me up the following
+night. Then I got the tickets, and took Myra to the train. Hilderman
+was seeing his friend off; a short, somewhat stout man, with flaxen
+hair, and small blue eyes peering through a pair of large spectacles.
+He bowed to us as we passed, and I was struck by the kindly sympathy
+with which both he and his companion glanced at Myra. Evidently they
+both realised what a terrible blow to her the loss of her sight must
+be. I will admit that, when it came to the time for the train to
+start, my heart nearly failed me altogether. The sight of the
+beautiful blind girl saying good-bye to her dog was one which I hope I
+may never see again. As the train steamed out into the cutting Sholto
+was left whining on the platform, and it was as much as Angus could do
+to hold him back. Poor Sholto; he was a faithful beast, and they were
+taking his beloved mistress away from him. Myra sat back in the
+carriage, and furtively wiped away a tear from her poor sightless
+eyes.
+
+"Poor old fellow," she said, with a brave smile. "If they can't do
+anything for me in London he will have to lead me about. It'll keep
+him out of mischief."
+
+"Don't say that, darling!" I groaned.
+
+"Poor old Ron," she said tenderly. "I believe it's worse for you than
+it is for me. And now that Mary has left us for a bit I want to say
+something to you, dear, while I can. You mustn't think I don't
+understand what this will mean to you, dear. I want you to know,
+darling, that I hope always to be your very great friend, but I don't
+expect you to marry a blind girl."
+
+I shall certainly not tell the reader what I said in reply to that
+generous and noble statement.
+
+"Besides, dear," I concluded eventually, "you will soon be able to see
+again." And so I tried to assure her, till presently Mary returned.
+And then we made her comfortable, and I read to her in the darkened
+carriage until at last my poor darling fell into a gentle sleep.
+
+But twenty-six hours later, when I had seen Myra safely back to her
+aunt's house from Harley Street, I staggered up the stairs to Dennis's
+rooms in Panton Street a broken man.
+
+Dennis opened the door to me himself.
+
+"Ronald!" he cried, "what has happened?"
+
+"Hello, old man," I said weakly; "I'm very, very tired."
+
+My friend took my arm and led me into his sitting-room, and pressed me
+gently on the sofa. Then he brought me a stiff brandy and soda, and
+sat beside me in silence for a few minutes.
+
+"Feel better, old boy?" he asked presently.
+
+"Yes, thanks, Den," I answered. "I'm sorry to be such a nuisance."
+
+"Tell me," he said, "when you feel well enough." But I lay, and closed
+my eyes, for I was dog-tired, and could not bring myself to speak even
+to Dennis of the specialist's terrible verdict. And soon Nature
+asserted herself, and I fell into a deep sleep, which was the best
+thing I could have done. When I awoke I was lying in bed, in total
+darkness, in Dennis's extra room. I sat up, and called out in my
+surprise, for I had been many miles away in my slumbers, and my first
+hope was that the whole adventure had been a hideous nightmare. But
+Dennis, hearing my shout, walked in to see if I wanted anything.
+
+"Now, how do you feel?" he asked, as he sat on the side of the bed.
+
+"Did you carry me in here and put me to bed?" I asked idly.
+
+"You certainly didn't look like walking, and I thought you'd be more
+comfortable in here," he laughed.
+
+"Great Scott, man!" I cried, suddenly remembering his heart trouble,
+"you shouldn't have done that, Dennis. You promised me you'd take no
+risks."
+
+"Heavens! that was nothing," he declared emphatically. "You're as
+light as a feather. There was no risk in that."
+
+Indeed, as events were to prove, it was only the first of many, but
+being ignorant of that at the time, I contented myself with pointing
+out that very few feathers turned the scale at twelve-stone-three.
+
+"Now look here, old son," said Dennis, in an authoritative voice. "You
+mustn't imagine I'm dealing with your trouble, whatever it is (for you
+_are_ in trouble, Ronald), in a matter-of-fact and unsympathetic way.
+But what you've got to do now is to get up, have a tub, slip into a
+dressing-gown, and have a quiet little dinner with me here. It's just
+gone eight, so you ought to be ready for it."
+
+He disappeared to turn on the bath-water, and then, when he met me in
+the passage making for the bathroom, he handed me a glass.
+
+"Drink this, old chap," he said.
+
+"What is it?" I asked suspiciously. "I don't want any fancy
+pick-me-ups. They only make you worse afterwards."
+
+"That was prescribed by Doctor Common Sense," he answered lightly.
+"It's peach bitters!"
+
+After my tub I was able to tackle my dinner, with the knowledge that I
+was badly in need of something to eat, a feeling which surprised me
+very much. Throughout the meal Dennis told me of the enlistment of
+Jack and poor Tommy Evans, and we discussed their prospects and the
+chances of my seeing them before they disappeared into the crowded
+ranks of Kitchener's Army. Dennis himself had been ruthlessly refused.
+He spoke of trying his luck again until they accepted him, but I knew,
+from what he told me of the doctor's remarks, that he had no earthly
+chance of being passed. He seemed to have entirely mastered his regret
+at his inability to serve his country in the ranks, but I understood
+at once that he was merely putting his own troubles in the background
+in face of my own. The meal over, we "got behind" two of Dennis's
+excellent cigars, and made ourselves comfortable.
+
+"Now then, old man," said my friend, "a complete and precise account
+of what has happened to you since you left King's Cross two days ago."
+
+"It has all been so extraordinary and terrible," I said, "that I
+hardly know where to begin."
+
+"I saw you last at the station," he said, laying a hand on my knee.
+"Begin from there." So I began at the beginning, and told him just
+what had happened, exactly as I have told the reader.
+
+Dennis was deeply moved.
+
+"And then you saw Olvery?" he asked. "What did he say?"
+
+I got up, paced the room. What had Olvery said? Should I ever forget
+those blistering words to the day of my death?
+
+"Come, old boy," said Dennis kindly. "You must remember that Olvery is
+merely a man. He is only one of the many floundering about among the
+mysteries of Nature, trying to throw light upon darkness. You mustn't
+imagine that his view is necessarily correct, from whichever point he
+looked at the case."
+
+"Thank you for that," I said. "I am afraid I forgot that he might
+possibly be mistaken. He says he knows nothing of this case at all; he
+can make nothing of it; it is quite beyond him. He is certain that no
+such similar case has been brought to the knowledge of optical
+science. His view is that there is the remotest possibility that this
+green veil may lift, but he says he is sure that if there were any
+scientific reason for saying that her sight will be restored he would
+be able to detect it."
+
+"I prefer your Dr. Whitehouse to this man any day," said Dennis
+emphatically. "He took just the opposite view. This man Olvery, like
+so many specialists, is evidently a dogmatic egotist."
+
+"I'm very glad you can give us even that hope. But the eyes are such a
+delicate instrument. It is difficult to see how the sight can be
+recovered when once it has gone. Of course, Olvery is going to do
+what he can. He has suggested certain treatment, and massage, and so
+forth, and he has no objection to her going back home again. Myra, of
+course, is tremendously anxious for me to take her back to her father.
+She is worrying about him already; and, fortunately, Olvery knows
+Whitehouse, and has the highest opinion of him."
+
+"Go back as soon as you can, old chap," Dennis advised. "Wire me if
+there is anything I can do for you at this end. I'll make some
+inquiries, and see if I can find out anything about any similar cases,
+and so on. But you take the girl back home if she wants to go."
+
+While we were still talking, Dennis's man, Cooper, entered.
+
+"Telegram for Mr. Ewart, sir," he said.
+
+I took the yellow envelope and opened it carelessly.
+
+"What is it?" cried Dennis, springing to his feet as he saw my face.
+
+"Read it," I said faintly, as I handed it to him. Dennis read the
+message aloud:
+
+"Come back at once. I can't stand this. Sholto is blind.--McLEOD."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+CONTAINS A FURTHER ENIGMA.
+
+
+Back again at King's Cross. I seemed to have been travelling on the
+line all my life. Myra turned to Dennis to say good-bye.
+
+"I hope," she said bravely, "that when we meet again, Mr. Burnham, I
+shall be able to tell you that I can see you looking well."
+
+"I do hope so, indeed, Miss McLeod," said Dennis fervently, with a
+quick glance at me. He was lost in admiration at the quiet calm with
+which my poor darling took her terrible affliction.
+
+"Good-bye, old chap," my friend said to me cheerily. "I hope to hear
+in a day or two that Miss McLeod is quite well again. And," he added
+in a whisper, "wire me if I can be of the slightest use."
+
+I readily agreed, and I was beginning, even at that early stage, to be
+very thankful that my friend was free to help me in case of need.
+
+When at last we reached Invermalluch Lodge again I sat for an hour in
+the library with the old General, telling him in detail the result of
+the specialist's examination, but I took care to put Dennis's point of
+view to him at the outset. I was glad I had done so, for he seized on
+the faint hope it offered, and clung to it in despair.
+
+"What is your own impression of Olvery?" he asked.
+
+"I fancy his knighthood has got into his head," I replied. "He gave me
+the impression that he was quite certain he knew everything there was
+to be known, and that the mere fact of his not being sure about the
+return of her sight made him positive that it must be complete and
+absolute blindness. Of course he hedged and left himself a loophole in
+the event of her recovery, but I could have told him just as much as
+he told me."
+
+"You say you took it on yourself to take Myra out of his hands
+altogether. Why?"
+
+"When I received your wire, I rang him up at once, and asked him to
+see me immediately," I replied. "Eventually he agreed, and I took a
+taxi to his place, and told him about Sholto. He gave his opinion
+without any consideration whatever. He said: 'The merest coincidence,
+Mr. Ewart--the merest coincidence--and you may even find that the dog
+has not actually lost his sight at all.' So naturally I thanked him,
+gave him his fee, and came away. I propose now that you should try and
+get this man--Garnish, is it----?"
+
+"Garnesk," interposed the General, consulting a note Dr. Whitehouse
+had left--"Herbert Garnesk."
+
+"Well, I want you to try and get him sufficiently interested to come
+here--and stop here--until he has come to some decision, no matter
+what it is."
+
+"A thundering good idea, Ronald," agreed the old man. "But we can't
+tell him this extraordinary story in writing."
+
+"I'll go and find him, and fetch him back with me, if I have to hold a
+gun to his head."
+
+Accordingly I dashed off to Mallaig again, and caught the evening
+train to Glasgow. I spent an unhappy night at the Central Station
+Hotel--though it was certainly not the fault of the hotel--and looked
+up Mr. Garnesk as early in the morning as I dared disturb a celebrated
+consultant oculist. I took a fancy to the man at once. He was
+young--in the early 'forties--very alert-looking, and exceedingly
+businesslike. His prematurely grey hair gave an added air of
+importance to the clever eye and clean-cut features, and he had a
+charm of manner which would have made his fortune had he been almost
+ignorant of the rudiments of his calling.
+
+"So that's the complete story of Miss McLeod and her dog Sholto," he
+mused, when I had finished speaking. For a brief second I thought he
+was about to laugh at the apparent absurdity of the yarn, but before I
+had time to answer he spoke again.
+
+"Miss McLeod and her dog are apparently blind, and Mr. Ewart is a
+bundle of nerves--and this is very excellent brandy, Mr. Ewart. Allow
+me."
+
+I accepted the proffered glass with a laugh, in spite of myself.
+
+"What do you think of it?" I asked.
+
+He sat on the edge of the table and swung his leg, wrapt in thought
+for a moment.
+
+"I'm very glad to say I don't know what to think of it," he replied
+presently.
+
+"Why glad?" I asked anxiously.
+
+"Because, my dear sir, this is so remarkable that if I thought I could
+see a solution I should probably be making a mistake. This is
+something I am learning about for the first time; and, frankly, it
+interests me intensely."
+
+Suddenly he sat down abruptly, with a muttered "Now, then," and began
+to catechise me in a most extraordinarily searching manner, firing off
+question after question with the rapidity of a maxim gun.
+
+I shall not detain the reader with details of this catechism. His
+inquiries ranged from the system on which the house was lighted and
+the number of hours Myra averaged per week on the sea to the make of
+the engine in her motor-boat. His last question was: "Does anybody
+drink the river water?"
+
+"Windows that flash in the sun seem to me to be confusing the issue,"
+he said at last. "Windows must always reflect light in a certain
+direction at a certain time, and though they may be irritating they
+could not possibly produce even temporary blindness. Still, we won't
+forget them, Mr. Ewart, though we had better put them aside for a
+moment. Now, how soon can you bring Miss McLeod to see me?"
+
+"We had hoped," I ventured to suggest, "that you would be able to run
+up and see her, and have a look at the ground. You could then examine
+the dog as well."
+
+"I'll be perfectly candid with you, Mr. Ewart," he replied. "I was
+just going to start on a short holiday. I was going to Switzerland;
+but the war has knocked that on the head, so I am just running up to
+Perthshire for a week's fishing. I need a holiday very badly, more
+especially as I have undertaken some Government work in connection
+with the war. Fortunately, I am a bachelor, and I will willingly give
+up a couple of days to Miss McLeod."
+
+"Why not combine business with pleasure?" I suggested. "There's good
+fishing at Invermalluch, gorgeous scenery, a golf-course a mile or two
+away, and you can do just as you please on the General's estate. He'll
+be delighted."
+
+"Are you sure?" he asked. "Well, anyway, I can go to the Glenelg Hotel
+and fish up Glenmore. Now, Mr. Ewart, we will catch the afternoon
+train, the earliest there is--though I suppose there's only one."
+
+"I can't tell you how grateful I am, Mr. Garnesk," I said. "It may
+mean a very great deal to us that you are so anxious to see Miss
+McLeod."
+
+"I am not anxious to see Miss McLeod," he answered, cryptically. "I'm
+anxious to see the dog."
+
+I left him, to telegraph to the General that I was arriving that night
+bringing the specialist with me; and I need hardly say that I left the
+telegraph office with a comparatively light heart. The journey to
+Mallaig was one of the most interesting afternoons I have spent.
+Garnesk was consulting oculist to all the big chemical, machine, naval
+and other manufacturers in the great industrial centre on the Clyde,
+and he kept me enthralled with his accounts of the sudden attacks of
+various eye diseases which were occasionally the fate of the workers.
+The effects of chemicals, the indigenous generation of gases in the
+furnace-rooms, and so on, had afforded him ample scope for experiment;
+and, fortunately for us all, he was delighted to have found new ground
+for enlarging his experience. The mixture of professional anecdote and
+piscatorial prophecy with which he entertained me, now and then
+rushing across the carriage to get a glimpse of a salmon-pool in some
+river over which we happened to be passing, gave me an amusing insight
+into the character of one whom I have since learned to regard as a
+very brilliant and charming man. When we arrived at the landing-stage
+at the Lodge, the General greeted him with undisguised joy.
+
+"Begad! Mr. Garnesk," he blurted, "I'm thundering glad to see you,
+sir. It's good of you to come, sir--extremely good."
+
+"That remains to be seen, General," said Garnesk, solemnly--"whether
+my visit will do any good. I hope so, with all my heart."
+
+"Amen to that!" said the old man, pathetically, with a heavy sigh.
+
+"How is Miss McLeod?" asked the scientist.
+
+"Her eyes are no better," the General replied. "She cannot see at all.
+Otherwise she is in perfect health. She says she feels as well as ever
+she did. I can't understand it," he finished helplessly.
+
+A suit-case, a bag of golf-clubs, and a square deal box completed
+Garnesk's outfit.
+
+"Steady with that--here, let me take it?" he cried, as Angus was
+lifting the last item ashore. "Business and pleasure," he continued,
+raising the box in his arms and indicating his clubs and fishing-rods
+with a jerk of the head. "I've one or two things here that may help me
+in my work, and as they are very delicate instruments I would rather
+carry them myself."
+
+As we approached the house the sound of the piano greeted us in the
+distance; and soon we could distinguish the strains of that most
+beautiful and understanding of all burial marches, Grieg's "Aase's
+Tod."
+
+"My daughter can even welcome us with a tune," said the old man
+proudly. To him all music came under the category of "tunes," with the
+sole exception of "God Save the King," which was a national
+institution.
+
+Garnesk stopped and stood on the path, the deal box clasped carefully
+in his arms, his head on one side, listening.
+
+"We have the right sort of patient to deal with, anyway," he remarked,
+with a sigh of relief. But to me the melancholy insistence of the
+exquisite harmonies was fraught with ill-omen, and I could not
+restrain the shudder of an unaccountable fear as we resumed our walk.
+Later on, when I found an opportunity to ask her why she had chosen
+that particular music, I was only partially relieved by her ingenuous
+answer:
+
+"Oh! just because I love it, Ronnie," she said, "and there are no
+difficult intervals to play with your eyes shut. I thought it was
+rather clever of me to think of it. I shall soon be able to play more
+tricky things. It will cure me of looking at the notes when I can see
+again."
+
+Myra and the young specialist were introduced; and, though he chatted
+gaily with her, and touched on innumerable subjects, he never once
+alluded to her misfortune. Though the General was evidently anxious
+that Garnesk should make his examination as soon as possible,
+hospitality forced him to suggest dinner first, and I was surprised at
+the alacrity with which the visitor concurred, knowing, as I did, his
+intense interest in the case. But, after a few conventional remarks to
+the General and Myra, I was about to show him to his room when he
+seized my arm excitedly.
+
+"Quick!" he whispered. "Where's the dog?"
+
+I led him to a room above the coach-house where poor Sholto was a
+pitiful prisoner. Garnesk deposited his precious packing-case on the
+floor, and called the dog to him. Sholto sprang forward in a moment,
+recognising the tone of friendship in the voice, and planted his paws
+on my companion's chest. For twenty minutes the examination lasted.
+One strange test after another was applied to the poor animal; but he
+was very good about it, and seemed to understand that we were trying
+to help him.
+
+"I should hate to have to kill that dog, but it may be necessary
+before long," said the specialist. "But why didn't you tell Miss
+McLeod her dog was blind?"
+
+"We were afraid it would upset her too much," I answered, and then
+suddenly realising the point of the question, I added, "but how on
+earth did you know we hadn't?"
+
+"Because," he said thoughtfully, "if you had, she strikes me as the
+sort of girl who would have asked me straight away what I thought I
+could do for him."
+
+"You seem to understand human nature as well as you do science," I
+said admiringly.
+
+"The two are identical, or at least co-incident, Mr. Ewart," he
+replied solemnly. "But what was it you _did_ tell her?"
+
+"We said he was suffering from a sort of eczema, which looked as if
+it might be infectious, and we thought she ought not to be near him
+for a bit. Otherwise, of course, she would have wanted him with her
+all the time."
+
+When the examination was over for the time being, I chained Sholto
+to a hook in an old harness-rack, for he was strong and unused to
+captivity, and the door had no lock, only a small bolt outside.
+Garnesk packed away his instruments, carried them carefully to the
+house, and then we sprinted upstairs to dress hurriedly for dinner.
+
+Myra, poor child, was sensitive about joining us, but the specialist
+was very anxious that she should do so, and we all dined together.
+There was no allusion whatever to the strange events which had brought
+us together, but, with my professional knowledge of the mysteries of
+cross-examination, I noticed that Garnesk contrived to acquire more
+knowledge of various circumstances on which he seemed to wish to be
+enlightened than Sir Gaire Olvery had gleaned from forty minutes'
+blunt questioning.
+
+Myra had hardly left us after the meal was over when the butler handed
+the General a card, and almost simultaneously a tall, shadowy figure
+passed the window along the verandah.
+
+"'Pon my soul, that's kind of him," said the simple-hearted old man.
+"Run after him, Ronald, and fetch him back."
+
+"Who is it?" I asked, rising.
+
+"'Mr. J. G. Hilderman wishes to express his sympathy with General
+McLeod in his daughter's illness.' Very neighbourly indeed."
+
+I ran out after Hilderman, and found that his long legs had taken him
+nearly half-way to the landing-stage by the time I overtook him. He
+stopped as I called his name.
+
+"Why, Mr. Ewart," he exclaimed in surprise, "you back again already? I
+hope you had a very satisfactory interview with the specialist."
+
+I told him briefly that our visit to London had given us no
+satisfaction at all, and gave him the General's invitation to come
+up to the house.
+
+"I wouldn't think of it, Mr. Ewart," he declared emphatically. "Very
+kind of General McLeod, but he don't want to worry with strangers just
+now."
+
+He was very determined; but I insisted, and he eventually gave way. I
+was glad he had come. I had a somewhat unreasonable esteem for his
+abilities and resource, and every assistance was welcomed with open
+arms at Invermalluch Lodge at that time. His extensive knowledge even
+included some slight acquaintance with the body's most wonderful
+organ, for he told us some very interesting eye cases he had heard of
+in the States. He was genuinely dumbfoundered when we told him that
+Sholto was an additional victim.
+
+"You don't say so!" he exclaimed. "Well, that _is_ remarkable. It
+sounds as if it came out of a book. In broad daylight a young lady
+goes out, and is as well as can be. An hour later she is stone blind.
+Two days afterwards her dog goes out, and _he_ comes in blind. Yes,
+it's got me beaten."
+
+"It's got us all beaten," said Garnesk deliberately, and I was shocked
+to hear him say it. I reflected that he had not even examined Myra,
+and my disappointment was the keener that he should admit himself
+nonplussed so early. But he left me no loophole of doubt.
+
+"I can make nothing whatever of it," he added, ruefully shaking his
+head. "I wonder if I ever shall?"
+
+"Come, come! my dear sir," said Hilderman cheerily. "You scientist
+fellows have a knack of making your difficulties a little greater than
+they really are, in order to get more credit for surmounting them. I
+know your little ways. I'm an American, you know, professor; you can't
+get me that way."
+
+Garnesk laughed--fortunately. And again I was grateful to Hilderman
+for his timely tact, for it cheered the old man immensely, and helped
+me a little, too. Presently the General left the room, and Garnesk
+leaned forward.
+
+"Mr. Hilderman," he said earnestly, "do everything in your power to keep
+the old man's spirits up. I can give him no hope, professionally--I
+dare not. But you, a layman, can. It is difficult in the circumstances
+for Mr. Ewart to give much encouragement, but I know he will do his
+best."
+
+"J. G. Hilderman is yours to command," said the American, with a bow
+that included us both. And then the oculist suggested that we should
+have a look at Sholto. I led the way to the coach-house with a heavy
+heart. I should not have minded a mystery which would have endangered
+my own life. Apart from any altruism, the personal peril would have
+afforded a welcome stimulant. But this unseen horror, which stabbed in
+the dark and robbed my beautiful Myra of her sight, chilled my very
+soul. I climbed wearily up the wooden stair to Sholto's new den,
+carrying a stable lantern in my hand, for it was getting late, and the
+carefully darkened room would be as black as ink. The other two
+followed close on my heels. I opened the door and called to the dog. A
+faint, sickly-sweet odour met me as I did so.
+
+"You give your dogs elaborate kennels," said Hilderman, as he climbed
+the stairs, and I laughed in reply.
+
+At that instant Garnesk stood still and sniffed the air. With a sudden
+jerk he wrenched the lantern from my hand and strode into the room.
+Sholto was gone. Only half his chain dangled from the hook, cut
+through the middle with a pair of strong wire-nippers.
+
+The oculist turned to us with an expression of acute interest.
+
+"Chloroform," he said quietly.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE CHEMIST'S ROCK.
+
+
+By the time we gave up our hunt for Sholto that night and saw
+Hilderman into the _Baltimore II._ at the landing-stage, the harvest
+moon had splashed the mountain side with patches of silver in reckless
+profusion. But we were in no mood for aesthetics. We applied the
+moonlight to more practical purposes.
+
+"Show me the river, Mr. Ewart," said Garnesk, as we turned away from
+the shore. Accordingly I took him up stream till we came to Dead Man's
+Pool.
+
+"What do you make of things now?" I asked, as we walked along.
+
+"I can't make anything of the stealing of a dog except that someone
+coveted it and has now got it. Can you?"
+
+"No," I answered thoughtfully, "I can't. But it's an extraordinary
+coincidence, at the least; and who on earth could have stolen him? You
+see, no one round here would dream of taking anything that belonged to
+Miss McLeod. And, though Sholto is well enough bred, he's never been
+in a show, and has no reputation. I can't make it out."
+
+"I'm very sorry it happened just now," said the oculist. "I was in
+hopes that by experimenting on the animal I could cure the girl. But
+at any rate that is beyond grieving about now. Is this the place?"
+
+"Yes," I said, "this is Dead Man's Pool. That dim white shape there is
+the Chemist's Rock. It was there that Miss McLeod lost her sight, and
+here that the General had his extraordinary experience. It looks
+innocent and peaceful enough," I added, with a sigh.
+
+"The General was very lucky--very lucky indeed!" murmured my
+companion.
+
+"Why?" I asked.
+
+"He was down here looking at the rock, and he saw some sort of vision;
+Miss McLeod was up at the rock looking down at the pool, and she lost
+her sight. The General might have been looking this way instead of
+that, in which case we might have had another case on our hands."
+
+"Then you think the two adventures are different aspects of the same
+thing? If only we knew where Sholto was it might give us even more to
+go on."
+
+"Have you any tobacco?" he asked abruptly. "I've got a pipe, but I
+left my tobacco in my room."
+
+We were in evening dress, and my pouch and pipe were in the house; so
+I left him there while I ran in to fetch them. When I returned he was
+nowhere to be seen, and for a moment I half suspected some new
+tragedy; but as I looked round I caught the gleam of the moonlight on
+his shirt-front. I found him kneeling on the Chemist's Rock, looking
+out to sea.
+
+"Many thanks, Mr. Ewart," he said, as he handed me back my pouch and
+took the light I offered him. "Ah! I'm glad to see you smoke real
+tobacco. By the way," he added, "have you a friend--a real friend--you
+can trust?"
+
+"I have, thank God!" I replied fervently. "Why?"
+
+"I should like you to send for him. Do anything you can to get him
+here at once. Go and drag him here, if you like--only get him here."
+
+"But why this urgency?" I asked again. "I admit that we have some very
+horrible natural phenomena to deal with; but, apart from the fact that
+some wretched poacher has stolen a dog, we have no human element to
+fear. I don't see how he can help, and he might run a risk himself."
+
+"Never mind--fetch him or send for him. If you could have seen
+yourself start when you returned to the pool yonder to find me
+missing, you would realise that your nervous system would be the
+better for a little congenial companionship. Frankly, Mr. Ewart, I
+don't like the idea of you being left alone here during the next few
+days with a blind girl and an old man--if you'll pardon me for being
+so blunt."
+
+"But you'll be here," I said; "and I hope you will have something to
+say to us that will put nerves out of the question when you have
+examined Myra."
+
+Garnesk rose to his feet and laid a friendly hand on my arm.
+
+"As soon as I've seen what this place looks like at a quarter-past
+four to a quarter-past five in the afternoon I shall leave you."
+
+"But--good heavens, man!" I cried, aghast, "you won't leave us like
+that. We hoped for so much from your visit. You can't realise, man,
+what it may mean to--to us all! You see----"
+
+"My dear chap," said my companion, cutting me short with a laugh, "it
+is just because I do realise that my presence here may be dangerous to
+Miss McLeod that I propose to leave."
+
+"Dangerous to her?" I gasped. "What on earth do you mean now?" The
+whole world seemed to have taken leave of its senses, and I mentally
+vowed that I should wire for Dennis first thing in the morning.
+
+"I say that because her dog has been drugged and taken away."
+
+"But some fool of a poacher was responsible for that!" I cried.
+
+My companion looked at me thoughtfully as he puffed at his pipe.
+
+"I was the cause of the dog's disappearance," he said quietly.
+
+"I see what you're driving at," I said. "You pretended to steal the
+dog because you were afraid Myra would make overwhelming objections to
+your vivisecting him, or whatever you want to do. Of course, now I see
+you would be the only person about Invermalluch Lodge likely to have
+chloroform. But even then I don't see what you mean by saying that
+your presence here would be dangerous to Miss McLeod."
+
+"That's a very ingenious construction to put on my words, my dear
+fellow," he said; "but in my mind I was relying on you to overcome my
+patient's objections to any experiments that might be deemed advisable
+on her dog. I meant something much more serious than that. I have
+known you only a few hours, Mr. Ewart; but nobody need tell me you are
+anything of a fool, unless he wants a very flat contradiction. You are
+looking at this affair from a personal point of view--and no wonder,
+either. But if you were not so worried about your _fiancee_ your brain
+would have grasped my point at once. That is why I want you to send
+for a friend."
+
+"I will," I promised solemnly. "Now tell me--what did you mean?"
+
+"When I said I was the cause of the dog's disappearance, I meant that
+if I hadn't arrived on the scene the dog would never have been
+touched. The dog was taken by someone who knew he was blind, who knew
+that I would experiment on him, and who was determined to get there
+first."
+
+"But," I exclaimed, "that would be carrying professional jealousy a
+bit too far--if that's what you mean!"
+
+"It would be carrying it so far that we can rule it out of court," he
+answered. "So that's what I don't mean. Let's go back and analyse the
+occurrence. I say the dog was not stolen by poachers, because of the
+chloroform; you said the same yourself. I say that the thief knew the
+dog was blind, because he knew he was in a darkened room above the
+coach-house, and he stole him from there. A poacher would have gone to
+the kennel, and found it empty--and that would have been the end of
+that. But the man who knew the dog was in a special room must have
+known why he was there; and it seems to me that the man who steals a
+blind dog steals him because, for some reason or other, he wants a
+blind dog--that very one, probably. Have you got me?"
+
+"Yes," I said, "I follow you so far. Go on." And I was surprised to
+find how relieved I was at this suggested complication. I felt that if
+we could only attribute this amazing week of mysteries to some human
+agent I should be able to grapple with it.
+
+"Now I come to my main point," Garnesk continued, "and it's this: The
+man who wanted Sholto because he was blind wanted him to experiment
+on. But no professional man would do a thing like that, even supposing
+there to be one about. That motive again is ruled out of court. There
+remains one possible solution----"
+
+"Well?" I asked breathlessly, for even now I failed to grasp the
+conclusion my scientific companion could be coming to. "Go on!"
+
+"If this thief did not want Sholto to experiment on himself, he stole
+the dog in order to prevent me from experimenting on him."
+
+I laughed aloud from sheer excitement and the relief of finding some
+tangible thing to go on, for the oculist's argument struck me as very
+nearly perfect.
+
+"You ought to be at Scotland Yard," I said. "You seem to me to have
+hit the nail on the head."
+
+"The two callings are very closely allied," he said modestly.
+"Detectives deal with murderers and thieves, and I with nerves and
+tissues. It is all a question of diagnosis."
+
+"I must say I think you've diagnosed this case very well, Mr.
+Garnesk," I said, "though we are just at the beginning of our troubles
+if what you suppose is correct."
+
+"I can't think of any other solution," he answered thoughtfully; "and
+we are, as you say, just at the beginning of our troubles. The first
+thing to do is----"
+
+"To find the man who stole the dog," I cut in.
+
+"To find the man who knew the dog was blind," he corrected. "By that
+means we may come to the man who stole the dog; then we may get his
+reason from his own lips, if we are exceptionally lucky. But I fancy I
+can supply his motive, failing a full confession."
+
+"You can?" I cried. "Let's hear it."
+
+"You've thought of one yourself, of course?" he asked.
+
+"The only motive I can think of is too fantastic altogether. It is
+weak enough to presuppose that someone has a grievance against Miss
+McLeod or the General, and that someone took advantage of the
+extraordinary circumstances to steal Sholto, and if possible prevent
+Myra getting her sight back. Oh, it's too ridiculous!"
+
+"We have to remember," my companion suggested, "that our unknown
+quantity not only knew that the dog was blind, but also knew that I
+was coming or had arrived, and would probably experiment on the beast.
+It argues a very terrible urgency that the animal disappeared within
+an hour or two of my arrival. From all that I deduce what seems to me
+the only possible motive. The dog was stolen by the man who made Miss
+McLeod blind."
+
+"_Made_ her blind!" I cried. "You don't seriously mean that you think
+someone--some fiend of hell--deliberately blinded her?"
+
+"Not deliberately," my companion replied. "But I believe it was
+through some human agency that she was blinded. I think some person or
+persons were anxious that Miss McLeod should remain blind, in case we
+should, in the process of recovering her sight, hit upon the cause of
+her losing it."
+
+In silence I sat for a few moments, thinking over this extraordinary
+new outlook. I must certainly wire for Dennis in the morning.
+
+"Mr. Garnesk," I said presently, "you are bringing a very terrible
+charge against some human monster whom we have yet to discover. But I
+must admit that you seem to have logic on your side. It remains for
+me to discover who these people are--if there are more than one."
+
+"Yes," he mused; "that is what we must discover."
+
+"We!" I exclaimed. "Then you're not going away?"
+
+"Yes," he said. "I think it would be fairer to you all if I left you.
+I think my arrival has done some good--my departure may do more. But I
+assure you, Mr. Ewart, I shall not give up this case till Miss McLeod
+recovers her sight. I give you my hand on that."
+
+I shook hands with him warmly.
+
+"Thank you," I said, as I noticed the eager look on his keen, handsome
+face. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To-morrow I hope I shall
+find the man who knew Sholto was blind."
+
+"I only know of one outside the General's household," he answered.
+
+"But I don't even know that!" I cried, forgetting Dennis for the
+moment. As for Olvery, he had gone clean out of my mind. "Who do you
+mean?"
+
+"The American," said my companion.
+
+"Hilderman!" I exclaimed. "Surely you must be mistaken. Why, he was
+absolutely astonished when we told him. He can't have known."
+
+"Still," Garnesk insisted, "I felt sure he knew. I suspected something
+about him, but I was wrong to do that, quite wrong; I admit that now.
+I couldn't at first see why he pretended he hadn't heard that Sholto
+was blind. You may have noticed that I tried to give him the
+impression that I had examined Miss McLeod and come to the conclusion
+that I could do nothing. I confess I did that to see how he took it.
+But I was on a wrong scent altogether. He knew about the dog, that was
+obvious, but it was also obvious that he hadn't been told from an
+official source, so to speak. He kept fishing for information. He
+brought up the dog several times, each time with a query mark in his
+voice--as you might say. He remarked that the _last_ time he saw Miss
+McLeod she had her beautiful dog with her. That made me suspicious,
+because from what you told me she always had her dog with her. Then he
+said her dog must be feeling it very keenly, you remember. I tried him
+with my pessimistic conclusions to see how he took it. You see, as
+soon as I saw the dog I put contagious disease out of the question.
+Natural forces unguided seemed impossible, but natural forces of some
+nature that we can't yet understand seemed probable. Still I was wrong
+to suspect Hilderman, quite wrong. Besides he couldn't possibly have
+stolen the dog."
+
+"I'm glad you feel you were wrong there," I said, "because I rather
+like the man. I shouldn't care to have to suspect him."
+
+"Don't suspect him, whatever you do," said the oculist earnestly.
+"Whatever you do, don't do that. He might be very useful. Make a
+friend of him. You'll want all your friends."
+
+He rose and stretched his legs, and I followed suit. We stood for a
+moment on the Chemist's Rock and gazed up the river, over the top of
+the falls, into the silver and purple symphony of a highland night.
+Presently my companion turned and took my arm.
+
+"I've seen all I want to see," he said as he began to lead me down to
+the pool again. "They'll wonder what has become of us. And as I've
+seen enough for one night, let's get back to the house."
+
+"It's a wonderful view at any time of the day or night," I agreed, and
+I sighed as I thought of poor Myra.
+
+"It must be," said Garnesk absently, picking his way across the rocks.
+"It must be a magnificent view. I haven't noticed it; you must bring
+me here to-morrow."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+MISTS OF UNCERTAINTY.
+
+
+When we got back to the house we found Myra and her father--not
+unnaturally--wondering what had become of us.
+
+"What have you been doing, and where have you been, and what do you
+mean by it?" she asked, playfully. "I wish I could see you. I'm sure
+you must be looking very guilty."
+
+Garnesk and I exchanged hurried glances. It was obvious from her
+remark that the General had not told her of Sholto's disappearance. I
+decided there and then that I would have to tell her the whole truth
+myself, and I gave the others a pretty broad hint that we would like
+to be left alone. I left the drawing-room and went with them to the
+library, and answered the old man's feverish questions as to the
+result of our search.
+
+Then I returned to Myra. It was a difficult and unpleasant task that I
+had to perform, but I got through it somehow; and, as I expected, Myra
+was very distressed about her dog, but not in the least frightened. I
+had thought it wiser not to acquaint her with the specialist's
+deductions as to the connection between her own affliction and the
+theft of Sholto. When I had given her as many particulars as I thought
+advisable, the other two rejoined us.
+
+"Can you think of anyone at all, Miss McLeod," the specialist asked,
+"who would be likely to steal Sholto?"
+
+"I can't," the girl replied helplessly. "I wish I could."
+
+"The two classes of people we want to find," I suggested, "are those
+who like Sholto so much as to be prepared to steal him, and those who
+dislike him so much as to be anxious to destroy him."
+
+"You don't think they'll hurt him," she cried, anxiously. "Poor old
+fellow! It's bad enough his being blind; but I would rather know he
+was dead than being ill-treated."
+
+"It's much more likely to be the act of some very human person who
+covets his neighbour's goods," said Garnesk, reassuringly. "But, at
+the same time, we must not overlook the other possibility. Can you
+remember anyone who does dislike the dog?"
+
+"Only one," said Myra, thoughtfully, "and I don't think he could have
+done it. He has a small croft away up above Tor Beag, and Sholto and
+I were up there one day; but it's months ago. Sholto went nosing round
+as usual, and the man came out and got very excited in Gaelic--and you
+know how excited one can be in that language. He was very rude to me
+about the dog, and it made me rather suspicious. I told daddy about it
+after."
+
+"Yes, and I hope you won't go wandering about so far from home
+without saying where you're going in future, my dear; because----"
+said the old man, and pulled himself up in pained confusion as he
+realised the tragic significance of his words.
+
+"Some sort of poacher, perhaps," suggested Garnesk, coming quickly to
+the rescue.
+
+"An illicit whisky still somewhere about, more likely," Myra replied.
+And as she could think of no other likely person, and the crofter
+seemed out of the question, we had to confess ourselves puzzled. I had
+hoped that Myra would have been able to give us some clue with which
+we could have satisfied her, while we kept our suspicions to
+ourselves. Then we left Myra with the specialist, who made a temporary
+examination. In twenty minutes he assured us that he could make
+nothing of the case, but that he was willing to stake his reputation
+that there was nothing organically wrong; and he gave us, so far as he
+dared, distinct reason to hope that she would eventually regain full
+possession of her lost faculty. So, after general rejoicings all
+round, in which I quite forgot the mystery of the man who stole the
+dog, I went to bed feeling ten years younger, and slept like a top.
+
+When I awoke in the morning much of my elation of spirit had
+evaporated, and I felt again the oppression of surrounding tragedy. I
+got up immediately--it was just after six--dressed, and went down
+to bathe. I was strolling down the drive, with a towel round my
+neck, when Garnesk put his head out of his window and shouted that
+he would join me. The tide being in, we saved ourselves a walk to
+the diving-rock, as the point was called, and bathed from the
+landing-stage. Refreshed by the swim, we determined to scour the
+country-side for any tracks of the thief.
+
+"What beats me is how anybody in a place like this, where everybody
+for miles round knows more about you than you do yourself, could
+get rid of an enormous beast like Sholto. He was big even for a Dane,
+and his weight must have been tremendous when he was drugged," said
+Garnesk, as we walked up the beach path. "Have you ever tried to carry
+a man who's fainted?"
+
+"I have," I answered with feeling, "and I quite agree with you. If the
+thief wanted to do away with the dog the beast's body is probably
+somewhere near."
+
+"What about the river?" my companion suggested.
+
+"More likely the loch," I decided, "or the sea. But that would mean
+a boat, because it would have to be buried in deep water, or the
+body would be washed up again on the rocks, even with a heavy weight
+attached. There are many deep pools in the river, but they are
+constantly fished, and that would lead to eventual detection. We are
+dealing with a man who knows his way about. It might be the loch or
+one of the burns, easily."
+
+Accordingly we decided to try the loch first; but though we followed
+the path from the house, carefully studying the ground every foot of
+the way, and examined the banks equally carefully, we were forced to
+the conclusion that we were on the wrong scent. Then we came down one
+of the burns that runs from the loch to the sea, and met with the same
+result.
+
+"We'll walk along the beach and go up the next stream," Garnesk
+suggested. "Hullo," he exclaimed suddenly, as we clambered over the
+huge rocks into a tiny cove, "there's been a boat in here!"
+
+I looked at the shingly beach, and saw the keel-marks of a boat and
+the footprints of its occupants in the middle of the cove. We went up
+gingerly, for fear of disturbing the ground of our investigations. I
+looked at the marks, and pondered them for a moment. By this time my
+senses were wide awake.
+
+"What do you make of it?" the oculist asked.
+
+"Well," I replied, with an apologetic laugh, "I'm afraid you'll
+think me more picturesque than businesslike if I tell you all the
+conclusions I've already come to; but the man who came ashore in
+this boat didn't steal Sholto."
+
+"Go on," he said. "Why, I told you I knew you weren't a fool."
+
+"Thank you!" I laughed. "It seems to me that if a man arrived in a
+boat and went ashore to steal a dog, he would go away again in the
+same boat."
+
+"And didn't he?"
+
+"I feel convinced he didn't," I replied, and pointed out to him what
+must have been obvious to both of us. "Compare the keel-marks with
+high-water mark. There is less than half a boat's length of keel-mark,
+and it is just up above high-water mark. This craft, which appears to
+have been a small rowing-boat, was run ashore at high tide, or very
+near it, and run out again very quickly. It might conceivably have
+come in and been caught up by the sea. But Sholto was stolen between a
+quarter past eight and half-past nine, when the tide was well on the
+way out. If Sholto went out to sea it was not in this boat."
+
+"Well," said Garnesk, thoughtfully, "your point is good enough for me.
+We must look somewhere else."
+
+"I hope my attempts at detective work will not put us off the scent,"
+I said, doubtfully.
+
+"I don't think they will, Ewart," said my companion, graciously. "Not
+in this case, anyway. I'm sure you're right, because this bay can be
+seen from the top windows of the house."
+
+"You evidently reached my conclusions with half the effort in half the
+time," I laughed.
+
+"Oh, nonsense!" he exclaimed. "It was you who pointed out that the
+one man in this boat came in daylight."
+
+"Why 'one man' so emphatically?" I asked.
+
+"When two men come in a boat to commit a theft, and only one of them
+goes ashore, the other would hardly be expected to sit in the boat and
+twiddle his thumbs. It's a thousand pounds to a penny that he would
+get out and walk about the beach. Now, only one gentleman came ashore
+from this boat, and only one got on board again. One set of footprints
+going and one coming decided me on that. Besides, if anyone came along
+and saw a solitary man sitting in a boat, they might ask him how his
+wife and children were, and he would have to reply; whereas an empty
+boat, being unable to answer questions, would raise no suspicions."
+
+"You seem to be arguing that this boat may have been the one we are
+looking for," I pointed out; "and yet we are agreed that the state of
+the tide made it impossible for Sholto to have been taken away in it."
+
+"Yes," said Garnesk, "I agree to that. But I fancy the thief came by
+that boat. It seems to me that our man jumps out of the boat, runs
+ashore, and his friend pulls away and picks him up elsewhere--probably
+nearer the house. It would look perfectly natural for a man who has
+apparently been giving a companion a pull across from Skye, say, to
+land him and then go back. The more I think of this the more it
+interests me. You see, if the top windows of the house can be seen
+from the bay, it means that the lower windows can be seen from the top
+of the cliff. If we can find where our thief lay in wait on the cliff
+and watched the house, probably with his eyes glued on the dining-room
+windows to see when we commenced dinner, if we can also find where he
+left his sea-boots while he went to the house, and then where he
+rejoined his companion, we are getting on."
+
+"What makes you say 'sea-boots'?" I asked. "You can't tell a top-boot
+by the footmarks."
+
+"Indirectly you can," Garnesk replied, puffing thoughtfully at his
+pipe. "That boat was pulled in and pushed out by a man who exerted
+hardly any pressure, although the beach only slopes gently. His
+companion did not lend a hand by pushing her out with an oar; if he
+had done so we should have seen the marks, and I couldn't find any.
+The only other way to account for it is that our friend, who exerted
+so little pressure, was wearing sea-boots and walked into the water
+with the boat. Had he been alone, the jerk of his final jump into the
+boat would have left a deeper impression on the beach. The tide was
+just going out; it would have no time to wash this mark away. I looked
+for the mark, and it wasn't there; so I came to the final conclusion
+that two men arrived in the cove shortly after seven last night in a
+small open boat. One of them--a tall, left-handed man in
+sea-boots--pushed the boat out again and went ashore."
+
+I am afraid I was rude enough to shout with laughter at this very
+definite statement; but it was mainly with excited admiration that I
+laughed--certainly not with ridicule. Garnesk turned to me
+apologetically.
+
+"I know it sounds far-fetched, my dear chap," he said; "but we shall
+have to think a lot over this business, and I am simply thinking aloud
+in order that you can give me your help in my own conclusions."
+
+"My dear fellow," I cried, "don't, for heaven's sake, imagine that I
+am laughing at you. It was the left-handed touch that made me guffaw
+with sheer excitement."
+
+"Well, I think he was left-handed, because the footmarks were going
+ashore on the right-hand side of the keel-marks, and going seawards on
+the left-hand side. Jump out of a boat and push it out to sea, and
+notice which side of the boat you stand by instinct--provided you were
+doing as he was, pushing on the point of the bows. The fact that his
+feet obliterate the keel-marks in one place proves that. So now we
+want to find a left-handed man in sea-boots who knew Sholto was
+blind"--and he laughed in a half-apology.
+
+"What about these sea-boots," I asked, "and the place we are to find
+where he left them?"
+
+"We'll look for that now; and if we find it we can be pretty sure our
+mariner stole the dog."
+
+"You seem to be taking it for granted already," I pointed out.
+
+"The easiest way to prove he didn't is to satisfy ourselves that
+there's no evidence he did," said the oculist. "But I fancy he did."
+
+"From the way you've sized it up so far I should be inclined to back
+your fancy," I admitted frankly. "I take it, from your diagnosis, that
+our nautical friend came ashore here, went up on to the cliff, and
+glued his eye to the dining-room window. When he saw we were at
+dinner, and it was getting dusk--in fact, almost dark--he took off his
+sea-boots and slipped up to the Lodge in his stocking-soles. So if we
+climb the cliff, we expect to find the spot on which he deposited his
+boots."
+
+"If we expected that," Garnesk replied, "we should also expect to find
+his boots; and he wouldn't be likely to leave such incriminating
+evidence in our hands as that. No, my dear Ewart; when he left the
+cliff he was wearing his boots, and he left them at some point on the
+path between the house and his embarking place. Come--let's look."
+
+I was intensely interested in my friend's deductions, and I felt
+convinced that he was right. So we climbed the cliff, he by one route
+and I by another, in order to see if we could find any traces of last
+night's visitor. But that was impossible; the rocks were too
+storm-swept to harbour any sort of lichen which would have shown
+evidence of footmarks. Still, we were not disappointed when we reached
+the top, and Garnesk looked at me with a charming expression of boyish
+triumph when we came across a patch of ground where the heather had
+obviously been trampled about and worn down by someone recently lying
+there.
+
+"I don't think we'll worry about tracing him from here just now," said
+the specialist. "It would be a very difficult job, and we may as well
+make for the most likely spot to embark from."
+
+"Right you are," I agreed. "I think there can only be one--that is a
+secluded little inlet, almost hidden by the rocks on the other side of
+the house."
+
+"Come on, let's have a look at it," my companion urged; and we
+blundered down the side of the cliff and hurried along the shore. But
+when we came to the small bay which I had in mind there was certainly
+some sign of disturbance among the rough gravel with which the shore
+was carpeted; and that was all the evidence we could find.
+
+"It is such an ideal spot for the job that this almost knocks our
+theory on the head," murmured Garnesk ruefully. "There are no
+boat-marks, or anything."
+
+"Which, in a way, bears out your diagnosis," I cried, suddenly
+hitting on what I thought to be the solution of the difficulty.
+
+"How, in heaven's name?"
+
+"Our old friend the tide," I declared, with returning confidence.
+
+"Of course," he almost shouted. "I've got you, Ewart. The boat came in
+here while the tide was going out--when, in fact, it was some distance
+out, possibly nearly an hour after it ran into the other cove. Since
+then the tide has come in again and obliterated any marks the men may
+have made. If we find any evidence on a line running between this
+place and the house, we can call it a certainty."
+
+In feverish excitement we hurried towards the house, casting anxious
+glances to right and left, but the stubborn heather showed no sign of
+any recent passenger that way. At last Garnesk, who was some distance
+to my right, hailed me with an exultant shout. There, sure enough, was
+a broad patch bearing marks of recent occupation, much the same as the
+other at the top of the cliff. We were able easily to distinguish the
+exact spot where the thief had laid the unconscious dog while he put
+on his boots. The discovery of an unmistakable footprint in a more
+marshy spot, which could only have been imprinted by a stockinged
+foot, completed my friend's triumph.
+
+"My dear fellow," I cried heartily, slapping my companion on the back,
+"I congratulate you. If you go on like this we shall have the dog and
+the thief in no time."
+
+"It will be some days, even at this rate," he warned me solemnly,
+"before we get as far as that. Now, back to the embarking-point, and
+see if we can reconstruct the thing fully."
+
+So we retraced our steps, and studied the shingle once more, but
+failed to discover any marks of any value. Then we sat down, and the
+oculist drew a vivid picture of the journey the thief had made. At
+last, feeling more than satisfied with our work, we rose to go in to
+breakfast.
+
+"Ewart, I want you to wire for that friend of yours before you do
+anything else. You may want him soon. I will leave by the morning
+train to-morrow, but I shall continue on this case till the mystery is
+solved. In the meantime, you will need someone you can trust at your
+side all the time."
+
+"I'll go into Glenelg, and wire immediately after breakfast," I
+promised. "Hullo, more reflections," I laughed, and pointed to a
+small, bright object some distance away on the rocks, which was
+catching the glint of the sun.
+
+"We seem to be surrounded by a spying army of glittering objects,"
+laughed my companion, as we strolled on. We had walked some forty
+yards when some instinct--I know not what--prompted me to investigate
+the affair. I turned back, and went to pick up the shining object,
+though for the life of me I could not have told you what I expected
+to find.
+
+"Garnesk!" I bawled. "Garnesk! Come here!"
+
+"What is it?" he shouted to me, as he came hurtling over the rocks.
+
+"Look at it," I replied tersely, and placed it in his outstretched
+palm. He glanced at it, and then at me.
+
+"That settles it," he said, and whistled softly, for I had found a
+small piece of brass, and on it was engraved:--
+
+"Sholto, The Douglas, Invermalluch Lodge, Inverness-shire."
+
+It was the name-plate from Sholto's collar.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+THE MYSTERY OF SHOLTO.
+
+
+We discussed our discovery pretty thoroughly on the way back to the
+house, and both agreed that it left no doubt upon one aspect of this
+strange affair--the man who stole Sholto was no ordinary thief.
+
+The General was standing on the verandah, looking about for us, as we
+came up the beach path. I told him of Garnesk's deductions and their
+interesting result, and the old man was greatly affected.
+
+"I never dreamt I should live to see the old place abused in this
+shocking manner," he grunted. "'Pon me soul, it's--it's begad
+disgraceful. I've lived here all my life, on and off, and I've never
+been troubled with anything like this, scarcely so much as a tramp
+even. I hope to God it'll soon be over, that's all."
+
+"Thanks to Mr. Garnesk, we're moving along in the right direction," I
+tried to reassure him. "And we have the satisfaction, in one way, of
+being able to tell Myra that Sholto is still alive, even if we don't
+know where he is."
+
+"Seems to me, Ronald," said the General, "you don't know that, or
+anything about the poor beast, except that he has been stolen, and
+probably taken away in a boat. Judging by Mr. Garnesk's theory, they
+probably threw him overboard in deep water."
+
+"No one who intended destroying a dog would take the trouble to wrench
+the name-plate off his collar," I pointed out. "The dog is alive, and
+not unconscious. They need his collar to keep him in hand, but they
+are afraid the plate might give them away. Mr. Garnesk is right, I'm
+sure, and if we find the thief we find the cause for Myra's terrible
+misfortune."
+
+"Where do you imagine they can have taken him to then? Seems to me
+we're getting some pretty queer neighbours."
+
+"That is just what we have to find out," said Garnesk, "and I for one
+will not rest until I do."
+
+"'Pon my soul, my dear chap," said the old man warmly, "it's very good
+of you to take so much interest in the affairs of total strangers. It
+is, indeed, thundering good of you."
+
+"Not at all, General," laughed the visitor. "If you spent your life
+trying to cure fussy ladies of imaginary eye trouble, without putting
+it to them that their livers are out of order, you'd welcome this as a
+very appetising antidote."
+
+"Talking about appetites," his host suggested, "who says breakfast?"
+
+"I fancy we both do," I answered, and we turned indoors.
+
+During breakfast Garnesk announced his determination to devote as much
+of the day as necessary to an examination of Myra, and then catch the
+evening train from Mallaig, but the girl herself rose in rebellion at
+this immediately.
+
+"You mustn't do anything of the sort," she declared emphatically.
+"Daddy, tell him he's not to. The idea of coming up here, and looking
+at me, and then going away again! It's ridiculous!"
+
+"I assure you, it is ample reward," declared the oculist gallantly,
+and everybody laughed at the frank compliment.
+
+"But you must fish the river, have a day on the loch. Ron must take
+you in the motor-boat up to Kinlochbourn. Then you've simply got to
+see Scavaig and Coruisk--oh! and a hundred other things besides."
+
+Garnesk insisted that, much as he would like to stay, he felt bound to
+leave at once, but Myra was equally obstinate; and, as was natural,
+being a woman, she won on a compromise. Garnesk agreed to stay over
+the week-end. I was very glad that Myra liked my new friend. She had
+been very shy of Olvery, but she took an immediate fancy to the
+Glasgow specialist. She liked his voice, she told me afterwards, and
+on the second day of his visit she asked him if his sister was very
+much younger than he. Garnesk looked up in surprise.
+
+"One of them is," he replied, "nearly twenty years. What made you
+ask?"
+
+"I guessed it by the way you talk to me," Myra declared confidently.
+
+"The detective instinct seems to be in the air," I laughed.
+
+So when I borrowed Angus's ramshackle old cycle, and went into Glenelg
+along a road which is more noteworthy for its picturesqueness than its
+navigable qualities, I left Garnesk to his examination with the
+knowledge that he would do his utmost, and that she would help him all
+she could.
+
+I wired to Dennis: "I can meet you at Mallaig Monday morning. Wire
+reply.--RONALD." Then I sent a couple of picture postcards to Tommy
+and Jack, wishing them luck, and explaining that I had not returned to
+join them because Myra was ill. I was sure Dennis would appreciate the
+urgency of my message, but I worded it carefully, deliberately making
+it appear to be the answer to an inquiry, for the reason that it is
+always wise to do as little as you can to stimulate local gossip.
+Anything like "Come at once; most urgent," despatched by one who was
+known to be a visitor at the lodge, would have set the entire
+country-side talking. So I jumped on to Angus's collection of old
+metal, and jolted back again as fast as I could. Garnesk was still
+engaged with Myra, and I took the opportunity of a chat with her
+father.
+
+"Would you care to see the discoveries we made this morning?" I asked,
+when I found him in the library.
+
+"Yes, I should indeed, my boy," he responded eagerly, and I think he
+was glad of the diversion. "I'll come with you now."
+
+"There is one thing I want to say, sir, before we go any farther."
+
+"What is it?" he asked, looking rather anxiously at me.
+
+"I want to tell you," I said, "that in the event of Myra not regaining
+her sight I should like your permission to marry her as soon as she
+herself wishes it. As you know, I have a small private income, which
+is sufficient for my needs in London, and would be more than I should
+require up here. If Myra is to be blind, I should like to marry her in
+order that I may always be able to take care of her, and I should
+propose to settle down somewhere near you. I dabble in contributory
+journalism, and I could extend that as far as possible, and I might
+even do pretty well at it. Both she and you would know then that, in
+the event of anything happening to you, she would be cared for by
+someone she loves."
+
+"My dear Ronald," exclaimed the old man, affectionately laying a hand
+on my shoulder, "I'm very glad to hear you say that. As a matter of
+fact, whatever happens, I don't care how soon you marry my dear girl.
+She wants it with all her heart, and I have always been fond of you
+myself. The only thing that has held me back up to now is the question
+of money, and, possibly, a little selfishness. I'm not a rich man, as
+you know, and if it were not for my pension I couldn't even live in
+my father's house. But now my one desire is to see my poor little girl
+happy, and we'll scrape together a shilling or two somehow. Shake
+hands, my boy."
+
+We both of us forgot all about the terrible war, and, naturally
+enough, the mysterious trouble which faced us then was sufficient for
+the moment. Having settled that question at last, I conducted the old
+man to the small cove where we had made our first discovery, but we
+began by visiting the coach-house. I daresay that to the trained eye
+there may have been valuable evidence lying under our very noses, but
+the only confused marks which we found on the surrounding ground
+conveyed nothing to either of us. Later, on our way back to the house,
+from what we now called "the embarking-point," we came upon a spot
+where the heather had been cut off in fairly large quantities. The old
+man stood, and contemplated the shorn stumps for a moment, and shook
+his head solemnly. It was not that he had any sentimental regret for
+the heather which grew on almost every inch of ground for hundreds of
+miles round, but he objected to the sign of visitors, or, as he would
+have said, "trippers."
+
+"Who would want to cut heather here?" I asked, for I could not see the
+slightest reason for gathering anything which could be obtained at
+your door wherever you lived in the Highlands.
+
+"Holiday-makers," he said ruefully. "They take rooms in the village,
+and get it into their heads that the heather in one spot is better
+than anything else for miles round, so they walk out to that spot, and
+cut some to take away with them when they go back home. I wish they'd
+always go back home and stop there."
+
+When I showed the General the keel-marks in the cove and explained to
+him in detail how Garnesk had arrived at his conclusions, the old man
+was quite awed.
+
+"'Pon me soul, he must be thundering clever, thundering clever," he
+muttered. "But it's not healthy, you know, Ronald; in fact, it's begad
+unhealthy. I've always been a bit scared of these people who see
+things that are not there. Still, I suppose it's the modern way;
+reading all these detective yarns and so on does it, no doubt."
+
+He was still marvelling at this new mystery when we got back to the
+house to find Myra sitting on the verandah with the specialist, who
+was keeping her in fits of laughter with anecdotes of some of his
+wealthy women patients.
+
+He sprang up as he saw us approaching, and ran down to meet us.
+
+"I'm certain of one thing," he said excitedly, as he walked between
+us, and answered the General's question. "We have got to solve the
+mystery, and she will see again. This is something new, but it has a
+very simple solution, which we must find out by hook or by crook.
+When I know how Miss McLeod lost her sight I shall very likely be able
+to find out how to restore it, and I shall also know something that
+perhaps no other oculist has ever dreamed of. There isn't the
+slightest sign of any organic disease, which probably means that
+Nature will assert herself, and she will eventually regain her sight
+naturally. But we mustn't wait for that. We've got to be up and doing.
+I tell you, sir, I wouldn't have missed this for anything. Have you
+been exploring?"
+
+"We've been having a look at those marks which meant so much to you
+and conveyed nothing whatever to me, although I was once considered
+something of a scout," the General admitted.
+
+"Did you find anything fresh?"
+
+"No, only some trippers, as the General calls them, had been cutting
+heather," I replied.
+
+"That's not likely to help us much," the oculist agreed, "unless they
+were not trippers at all, and were cutting the heather as a blind.
+What were they like?"
+
+"Oh, we didn't see them. We only saw the results of their iconoclasm.
+The heather was recently, but not freshly, cut," I replied, and the
+old man glanced at me with some slight suspicion, as if he feared I,
+too, was about to take up the deduction business.
+
+"Recent, but not fresh?" muttered Garnesk.
+
+"Now, why should a man who wanted----Good heavens! I've got it."
+
+"What _are_ you dear people getting so excited about?" Myra asked, for
+by this time we had almost reached the verandah.
+
+"We'll tell you in a minute, dear," I called, and waited for Garnesk
+to explain.
+
+"Of course," he continued, as if thinking aloud, "it's obvious. The
+man came ashore in a small boat, picked some heather, and carried it
+in his arms. Anyone who noticed him would have noticed his load of
+heather. Then he stole Sholto, concealed him under the heather, and
+was still apparently only carrying a bundle of innocent heath. Why!
+they seem to have thought of everything, and made no mistake."
+
+"Except that the man was wandering about the country-side, gathering
+wild flowers, in his stockinged soles," I pointed out.
+
+"Still, it was almost dark, and he chanced that," said Garnesk.
+
+"What I don't understand about it is this," the General joined in:
+"Where did he come from to gather this heather? A man must know that
+if he is seen to come ashore and pick heather and get into his boat
+again he is doing a very curious thing. That boat can only have come
+from Knoydart or Skye at the farthest, and everybody knows you
+wouldn't take heather there."
+
+"Yes, I'm afraid you're right, General," Garnesk admitted, with a
+sigh of regret, and I was compelled to agree with him.
+
+"I know where he came from, then."
+
+It was said so quietly that it startled us all, though it was Myra who
+spoke.
+
+"Where, then?" we all asked together.
+
+"He must have come from a yacht."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+THE SECRET OF THE ROCK.
+
+
+We made exhaustive inquiries everywhere, but no one had seen a yacht
+anchored or otherwise resting off the point the previous night. One or
+two vessels had been noticed passing the mouth of Loch Hourn during
+the evening, but they were mostly recognisable as belonging to
+residents in the neighbourhood, and in any case not one of them had
+been seen to drop the two men in a boat who were causing us so much
+anxiety. When Garnesk and I went up the river to the Chemist's Rock we
+were equally unsuccessful there.
+
+"Look here," I said, "suppose you were to go blind, Mr. Garnesk? I
+can't allow you to run any risks of that sort. We have every reason to
+know that there is something gruesome and uncanny about this spot, and
+I should feel happier if you would keep at a safe distance."
+
+"How about yourself?" he replied.
+
+"It's a personal affair with me," I pointed out, "but I can't let your
+kindness in assisting us as you are doing run the length of possible
+blindness."
+
+"Nonsense, my dear fellow," he exclaimed; "we're in this together. I
+am just as keen to get to the bottom of this matter as you are. But it
+behoves us both to be careful. It is most important that you should
+take care of yourself at the present moment. What would happen to Miss
+McLeod if I carried you back to the house in a state of total
+blindness?"
+
+"Oh, I shall be all right," I declared confidently. "But, of course,
+your point is a good one, and I shall not run any risks."
+
+"And yet you start by careering up the river here when we have very
+excellent reasons for supposing that it is hardly the place to spend a
+quiet afternoon."
+
+"You don't really believe that there is anything curious about the
+river itself, do you?" I asked. "We have agreed that some human agency
+is responsible for the tragic affliction that has fallen upon poor
+Myra. In that case we are not safe anywhere."
+
+"That's true enough," he agreed, "but everything that has happened so
+far has happened here. Sooner or later, no doubt, the operations will
+be extended to some other region, but at present we know there is a
+possibility of our being overcome by some strange peril between the
+Chemist's Rock and Dead Man's Pool."
+
+"Well, as we don't know how to deal with the danger when it does
+arrive," I suggested, "suppose we see as much as we can from the
+banks. I will go up the centre of the stream and report to you, if you
+like, but you stay here."
+
+"You'll do nothing of the sort," he cried. "I can't imagine what we
+can possibly learn by standing on that rock, but if either of us goes,
+we go together, or I, in my capacity of bachelor unattached, go
+alone."
+
+Naturally, I could only applaud such generous sentiments, and at the
+same time refuse to countenance his proposal. So we sat among the
+heather, some distance above the bank, and awaited developments.
+
+"It is four-twenty now," said my companion presently, looking at his
+watch. "If anything is going to happen it should happen soon."
+
+"Don't you think it was mere coincidence that Myra's blindness and the
+General's strange illusion occurred about this time? Why should this
+green ray only be visible between four and five?"
+
+"It hasn't really been visible at all," Garnesk pointed out. "Miss
+McLeod saw a green flash, and the General saw a green rock, which had
+taken upon itself the responsibilities of transportation. That's all
+we know about the green ray, except the green veil that Miss McLeod
+tells us of. I don't expect to see that."
+
+"I wish I knew what we did expect to see," I sighed.
+
+"Exactly," he replied solemnly. "By the way," he added after a pause,
+"do you see anything peculiar about the rocks or the pool between four
+and five; I mean anything that you couldn't notice at any other time
+of the day?"
+
+"Nothing at all," I answered despondently; "it is pleasanter here then
+than at any other time--or was until we came under this mysterious
+spell."
+
+"Why is it pleasanter?" he asked.
+
+"It is just then that it gets most sunshine," I pointed out.
+
+I made the remark idly enough, for the course of the river, with its
+rugged banks and great massive rocks, looked particularly beautiful as
+the sun streamed full upon it, and I was immeasurably surprised when
+Garnesk jumped to his feet with a shout.
+
+"What is it?" I cried in alarm. "You're not----"
+
+"The sun, Ewart, the sun!" he exclaimed, and, snatching a pair of
+binoculars which I carried in my hand, he dashed up the slope to the
+foot of a cliff that overhung the stream. I gazed after him for a
+moment in astonishment, and then set out in pursuit.
+
+"Stop where you are, man!" he called to me as he turned, and saw me
+tearing after him. "No, no; I want you there. Don't follow me."
+
+I did as I was told, for I trusted him implicitly, and I knew that he
+would not run any risk without first acquainting me of his intention,
+and I took it for granted that he had arranged a part for me to
+play, although he had not had time to tell me what it was. But my
+astonishment increased as I watched him climb the rock, for when he
+arrived a few feet from the summit he sat down on a ledge and calmly
+lighted a cigarette!
+
+"What is it all about?" I called to him, when I had fully recovered
+from my surprise.
+
+"I only wanted to have a look at the view," he laughed back, and put
+the glasses to his eyes. First he examined the house, and then he
+turned his gaze in the direction of the sea. It was then that it
+dawned on me that he was looking for a yacht. This was the fateful
+hour, and it had naturally struck him that the unknown yacht might be
+in the vicinity.
+
+"Well," I shouted, "can you see the yacht?"
+
+"No," he replied, "there's nothing in sight, only a paddle steamer;
+looks like an excursion of some sort."
+
+"Oh! that's the _Glencoe_," I explained; "she won't help us at all.
+She runs with tourists from Mallaig."
+
+"She seems to be barely able to take care of herself," he laughed. "I
+shouldn't like to be on her in a storm."
+
+We conversed fairly easily while he was on the cliff, for we were not
+many yards apart, and I began to wonder when he was coming down again.
+
+"Have you any objection to my joining you?" I asked presently, as
+there seemed to be nothing for me to do below.
+
+"Stop where you are for a bit, old man," he advised. "I shall be down
+in a minute."
+
+"As long as you like," I replied. "You've got a fine view from there,
+anyway. Don't worry about me."
+
+I sat down on a rock, refilled my pipe, and prepared to wait till he
+rejoined me.
+
+"Hi! Ewart!" he called presently, for my mind had already wandered to
+that darkened "den" at the house.
+
+"Hullo," I answered, jumping to my feet. "What is it?"
+
+"Do you notice anything unusual?"
+
+"No," I shouted, "nothing that----," but suddenly I felt a strange
+singing in my ears, my pulses quickened, my voice died away into
+nothing. I looked up at Garnesk; he was leaning perilously near the
+edge of the cliff waving to me. I saw his lips move, yet I heard no
+sound. My heart was thumping against my chest with audible beats. I
+looked round me in every direction. No, there was nothing strange
+happening that the eye could see, yet here was I with a choking
+pulsation in my throat. My temples too were throbbing like a couple of
+steam hammers. Again I looked up at Garnesk; he was climbing hurriedly
+down the cliff. He paused and waved to me, and again his lips moved,
+and again I heard nothing.
+
+Surely, I told myself, the events of the past few days had told on my
+strength. This was nerves, sheer nerves. Garnesk must give me his arm
+to the house. I would lie down and rest, and I should be all right in
+a few moments. It was nerves, that was all. But if Garnesk were not
+very quick about it I should have burst a blood-vessel in my brain
+before he reached me. Already my chest seemed to have swelled to
+twice its size. Garnesk, as I looked, seemed to be farther off than
+ever, a tiny speck in the distance.
+
+The singing in my ears became a rushing torrent. It was the waterfall,
+I told myself; how stupid of me! Of course I should be all right in a
+minute. But my friend must hurry. I collapsed on the rock and gasped
+for breath. I looked for Garnesk. Still he seemed to be as far away as
+ever, and he scarcely seemed to be moving at all. I must tell him to
+be quick. It was simply nerves, of course; but I mustn't let them get
+the better of me, or what would poor Myra do? I staggered to my feet
+to call to Garnesk.
+
+"Hurry up; I'm not well." I framed the words in my brain, but no sound
+passed my lips. I struggled for breath, and called again with all the
+power I could muster. I could not hear myself speak. And then I
+understood! My knees rocked beneath me, the river swirled round me, a
+rowan tree rushed by me in a flash, and as I fell sprawling on my face
+among the heather a thousand hammers seemed to pound the hideous
+sickening truth into the heaving pulp that was once my brain.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+HOW THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED.
+
+
+When I came to myself I was lying with my head pillowed on Garnesk's
+arm. My coat and collar were on the ground beside me, and my head and
+shoulders were dripping with water.
+
+"Ah!" said my companion, with a sigh of relief, "that's better. You'll
+be all right in a few minutes, Ewart. Take it easy, old chap, and
+rest."
+
+"Where am I?" I asked. "Good heavens!" I exclaimed, as I heard my own
+voice, and sat bolt upright in my astonishment, "I thought I was
+dumb!"
+
+"Well, never mind about that now, old fellow," Garnesk advised. "We'll
+hear all about that later. Shut your eyes and rest a minute."
+
+"All right," I agreed, "pass me my pipe and I will."
+
+Garnesk laughed aloud as he leaned over to reach my coat pocket.
+
+"When a man shouts for his pipe he's a long way from being dead or
+dumb or anything else," he said.
+
+Truth to tell, I was feeling very queer. I was dizzy and confused, but
+I felt that I wanted my pipe to help me collect my thoughts. So I lay
+there for some minutes quietly smoking, and indeed I felt as if I
+could have stayed like that for ever.
+
+"I must have fainted," I explained presently, overlooking the fact
+that Garnesk probably knew more about my ridiculous seizure than I did
+myself. "I don't know when I did a thing like that before," I added,
+beginning to get angry with myself.
+
+"Well, I hope you won't do it again," said my friend fervently. "It's
+not a thing to make a hobby of. And don't you come near this infernal
+river any more until we know something definite."
+
+"You mean that the place has got on my nerves," I said. "I suppose it
+has; I'm very sorry."
+
+"Do you feel well enough to tell me all about it?" he asked, "or would
+you rather wait till we get up to the house?"
+
+"Oh, I'll tell you now," I agreed readily. "We mustn't say anything
+about this at the house." So I told him exactly how I had felt.
+
+"When did it first come on?" he asked.
+
+"When I heard you shout, and jumped up to see what it was. By the way,
+what was it?"
+
+"Well," he replied, "we'll discuss the matter if you wouldn't mind
+releasing my arm?"
+
+"My dear fellow," I cried, sitting up suddenly, as I realised that he
+was still propping up my head, "I'm most awfully sorry."
+
+"Now then," he said, as he lighted his pipe and made himself
+comfortable, "we'll go into the latest development. You remember what
+made me rush off and leave you there?"
+
+"I remember saying something about the sunlight, and you suddenly
+dashed off."
+
+"To tell you the truth, I had very little faith in the theory that at
+this hour, above all, the spook of the Chemist's Rock was active,
+until you pointed out that only about that time is the whole of the
+river course up to the rock, and the whole of the rock itself, flooded
+with sunlight. Then, when you made that remark, I suddenly felt that I
+ought to be on the cliff on the look out for this unknown yacht. We
+connect the two together in some way which we don't yet understand, so
+I meant to go and have a look for the ship. I saw nothing of any
+importance until I shouted to you. Just then I was looking through the
+glasses at the shore. I turned them on the landing-stage and along the
+beach, and I had just lighted on the bay where we explored this
+morning when suddenly, for half a second or so, all the shadows of the
+rocks turned a vivid green, and then as suddenly resumed their natural
+colour again."
+
+"Good heavens!" I exclaimed. "Green again! Can you make anything of it
+at all, Garnesk? I'm sorry I'm such a duffer as to faint at the
+critical moment, when I might have been of some assistance to you.
+What in God's name can it all mean?"
+
+"I'm no further on," he replied bitterly; "in fact, I'm further back."
+
+"Further back!" I cried. "How? I don't see how you can be."
+
+"I'll tell you what my theory was about all this affair, and it struck
+me as a good one--strange, of course, but then, this is a strange
+business."
+
+"It is, indeed," I agreed ruefully. "Well, go on."
+
+"I had an idea, Ewart, that we should find some sort of wireless
+telegraphy at the bottom of this business. I had almost made up my
+mind that we had stumbled across the path of some inventor who was
+working with a new form of wireless transmission. I felt that in that
+way we might account for Miss McLeod's blindness and the blindness of
+the dog. It also seemed to hold good as to the disappearance of
+Sholto. The inventor hears of the extraordinary effect of his
+invention, and is afraid he will get into a mess if it is found out.
+The yacht to experiment from fitted in beautifully. But now all that's
+knocked on the head."
+
+"Why?" I asked. "It seems to me, Garnesk, that you are doing all the
+thinking in this affair, as if you had been used to it all your life.
+Your only trouble is that you're too modest. I take it that because
+you didn't see the yacht when you noticed the green flash you are
+taking it for granted you were wrong to expect it. I must say, old
+chap, I think you've done thundering well, as the General would put
+it, and even if you are prepared to admit your theory has been
+knocked on the head I'm not--at any rate, not until I have a jolly
+good reason. Yet it doesn't seem to matter much what I say or do if
+I'm going to faint like a girl at the first sign of danger. If you
+hadn't come to my rescue I might still be lying there waiting to come
+round, or something," I finished in disgust.
+
+My companion looked at me thoughtfully.
+
+"Ewart," he said, and solemnly shook his head, "you have brought me to
+the very thing that made me say my theory was exploded."
+
+"What thing?" I asked. "Surely my fainting can't have made any
+difference to conclusions you had already come to?"
+
+"But then you see," my friend replied, "you didn't faint. And if I had
+not seen you were in difficulties you would probably never have
+recovered."
+
+"Didn't faint?" I exclaimed. "Well, I don't know what the medical term
+for it is, and I daresay there are several technical phrases for the
+girlish business I went through. That idea of being dumb was simply
+imagination, but I assure you it was just what I should call a
+fainting fit."
+
+"I don't want to alarm you if you're not feeling well," he began
+apologetically.
+
+"Go on," I urged. "I'm as fit as I ever was."
+
+"Well," the young specialist responded, in a serious tone, "if you
+want to know the truth, Ewart, you were suffocated."
+
+"Suffocated!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "What in heaven's name do
+you mean?"
+
+"I can't tell you exactly what I mean because I don't know, but yours
+was certainly not an ordinary fainting fit. To put the whole thing in
+non-medical terms, you were practically drowned on dry land!"
+
+I sat down again--heavily at that. Should we never come to an end of
+these mysterious attacks which were hurled at us in broad daylight
+from nowhere at all?
+
+"I'm not sure that you hadn't better rest before we go into this
+fully, Ewart," Garnesk remarked doubtfully. "You're not by any means
+as fit as you've ever been, in spite of your emphatic assurance."
+
+"Tell me what you think, why you think it, and what you feel we ought
+to do. Why, man, Myra might have been here alone, with no one to
+rescue her and--and----"
+
+"Quite so," said Ewart sympathetically. "So you must comfort yourself
+with the knowledge that it may be a great blessing that she has
+temporarily lost her sight. Now, I say you didn't faint, because,
+medically, I know you didn't. For the same reason I say you were
+suffocating as surely as if you had been drowning. Hang it, my dear
+chap, it's my line of business, you know. I can't account for it, but
+there is the naked fact for you."
+
+"How does this affect your previous conclusions?" I asked. "Before you
+tell me what you think brought on this suffocation I should like to
+hear why you give up your theory."
+
+"Simply because no wireless, or other electric current, could have
+that effect upon you. If you had had an electric shock in any of its
+many curious forms I could have said it bore me out; but, you see,
+it's impossible. And, as I refuse to believe that we are continually
+bumping into new mysteries which have no connection with each other,
+it follows that if this suffocation was not caused by the supposed
+wireless experiments, the other can't have been either."
+
+"I'm not making the slightest imputation on your medical knowledge," I
+ventured, "but are you absolutely certain that you are not mistaken?"
+
+"My dear fellow," he laughed, "for goodness sake don't be so
+apologetic. I can quite see that you find it difficult to believe. But
+I am prepared to swear to it all the same. For one thing, the symptoms
+were unmistakable; for another, it seems impossible that we should
+both faint at exactly the same time and place for no reason at all."
+
+"You didn't faint too, surely?" I cried.
+
+"No," he admitted, "but we might very easily have been suffocated
+together--smothered as surely as the princes in the Tower. When I saw
+you were in difficulties I shouted to you. Obviously you didn't hear
+me. I naturally didn't wait to see what would happen to you; I
+cleared down the cliff, and sprinted to you as fast as I could. When I
+came to within about twenty yards of you I found a difficulty in
+breathing. I went on for a couple of paces, and realised that the air
+was almost as heavy as water. So I rushed back, undid my collar, took
+a deep breath; and bolted in to you, picked you up, and carted you
+here. _Voila!_ But I very nearly joined you on the ground, and then we
+would never have regained consciousness, either of us. I applied the
+simplest form of artificial respiration to you, dowsed your head, and
+now you're all right. On the whole, Ewart, we can consider ourselves
+very well out of this latest adventure."
+
+"What you're really telling me," I pointed out gratefully, "is that
+you saved my life at the risk of your own. I'm no good at making
+speeches, or anything of that sort, Garnesk, but I thank you, if you
+know what that means. And Myra will----"
+
+"Not a word to her, Ewart," my companion interrupted eagerly.
+"Whatever you do, don't on any account worry that poor girl with this
+new complication. Anything on earth but that."
+
+"No," I agreed; "you're right there. Myra must be kept in the dark."
+
+"Yes," he replied, with a look of relief. "It might have a serious
+effect on her chances of recovery if she had this additional worry.
+And I don't think it would be advisable to tell the old man either. I
+think we had better keep it to ourselves absolutely. Tell no one,
+Ewart, except your friend when he comes."
+
+"Very well," I answered, for I was very anxious to spare both Myra and
+her father from the knowledge of any further trouble. "I'll tell
+Dennis when he comes, but otherwise it is our secret."
+
+"Good," said Garnesk. "Now put your coat on, old chap, and we'll
+stroll back to the house."
+
+I got up and buttoned my collar, retied my bow, and slipped into my
+jacket. I was rather uncomfortably damp, and I felt a bit shaky and
+queer, and decided that I could do with a complete rest from the
+mysteries of the green ray. But the subject remained uppermost in my
+mind, and my tired brain still strove to unravel the tangled threads
+of the puzzle.
+
+"By the way," I said, as we walked slowly up to the house, "you have
+not yet explained what there was in my remark about the sunlight that
+made you think of the yacht."
+
+"Well," he replied, "you see I had an idea that perhaps they might
+come here when the gorge, through which the river flows, was flooded
+with light, so that they could see if any strange effects were
+produced. But that suffocation was not brought about by any electrical
+experiment, and I am beginning to be afraid that, after all, we may be
+up against some strange natural phenomena, some terrible combination
+of the forces of Nature, which has not yet been observed, or at any
+rate recorded."
+
+"Why afraid?" I asked, for although I had been glad to believe that we
+were faced with a problem which would prove to have a human solution,
+the revulsion had come, and I should have welcomed the knowledge that
+some weird, freakish application of natural power might be held
+accountable.
+
+"Afraid?" queried Garnesk, with a note of surprise. "I am very often
+afraid of Nature. She is a devoted slave, but a cruel mistress. I
+don't think that I should ever be very much scared by a human being,
+even in his most fiendish aspect, but Nature--I tell you, Ewart, there
+are things in Nature that make me shudder!"
+
+"Yes," I agreed heavily, "you're right, of course. That's how I have
+felt for the past twenty-four hours. It was a tremendous relief to me
+to feel that we were men looking for men. But the last few minutes I
+have had an idea that it would be comforting to explain it all out of
+a text-book of physics. Still, you're right. It is better far to be
+men fighting men than to be puny molecules tossed in the maelstrom of
+immutable power which created the world, and may one day destroy it."
+
+"I'm glad you agree," he said simply. "You see you could not possibly
+live for a second in electrically produced atmosphere which was
+so thick that you couldn't hear yourself speak. Death would be
+instantaneous. It couldn't have been our unknown professor's wireless
+experiments after all. Yet it seems impossible that a sudden new power
+should crop up suddenly at one spot like this. Imagine what would
+happen if this had occurred in a city, in a crowded street. Hundreds
+would have been stricken blind, then hundreds would have been
+suffocated. Vehicles would have run amok, and the result would have
+been an indescribable chaos of the maimed, mangled and distraught. A
+flash like this green ray (which blinded Miss McLeod and her dog,
+deluded the General, and nearly suffocated us) at the mouth of a
+harbour, say, the entrance to a great port--Liverpool, London, or
+Glasgow--would be responsible for untold loss of life. If this
+terrible phenomenon spread, Ewart, it would paralyse the industry of
+the world in twenty-four hours. If it spread still farther the face of
+the globe would become the playing-fields of Bedlam in a moment. Think
+of the result of this everywhere! Some suffocated, some blinded, and
+millions probably mad and sightless, stumbling over the bodies of the
+dead to cut each other's throats in the frenzy of sudden imbecility."
+
+"Don't, Garnesk," I begged. "It won't bear thinking about. We have
+enough troubles here to deal with without that!"
+
+"Yes," my companion admitted, "we need not add to them by any idle
+conjectures of still more hideous horrors to come. But it is an
+interesting, if terrible speculation. And it means one thing to us,
+Ewart, of the very greatest importance. We must solve the riddle
+somehow."
+
+"You mean," I cried, as I realised the tremendous import of his
+words--"you mean that the sanity of the universe may rest with us! You
+mean that if we can solve this riddle we, or others, may be able to
+devise some means of prevention, or at least protection? You mean that
+we are in duty bound to keep at this night and day until we find out
+what it is?"
+
+"That is just what I do mean," he replied seriously. "It is a solemn
+duty; who knows, it may be a holy trust. Ewart, we agree to get to the
+bottom of this? We have agreed once, but are we still prepared to go
+on with this now that we know we may be crushed in the machinery that
+controls the solar system and lights the very sun?"
+
+"I shall certainly go on," I replied eagerly. "But we can hardly
+expect you to run risks on our behalf."
+
+"It may be in the interests of civilisation," he answered, "and in
+that case it is our duty. Now look here, Ewart, this will have to be a
+secret. It is essential that we should not get ourselves laughed at
+because, for one thing, the scoffers may get into serious trouble if
+they start investigating our assertions in a spirit of levity. You
+and I must keep this to ourselves entirely. What about your friend?"
+
+"I can trust him," I replied simply.
+
+"Then tell him everything," Garnesk advised. "If you know you can rely
+upon him he may be of great assistance to us."
+
+"What about Hilderman?" I asked. "He knows a good deal already."
+
+"There is no need for him to know any more. He may be of some use to
+us. I had thought he might be of the greatest use, but he may be able
+to help us still. We should decrease, rather than augment, his
+usefulness by telling him these new complications."
+
+"How do you mean?" I asked.
+
+"Well, for instance, he might think we are mad, although he's a very
+shrewd fellow."
+
+"Yes," I agreed, "I think he's pretty cute. Funny that Americans so
+often are. Anyway, he's been cute enough to make sufficient to retire
+on at a fairly early age, and retire comfortably too."
+
+"H'm," was my companion's only comment.
+
+After dinner that evening we discussed all sorts of subjects, mainly
+the war, of course, and went to bed early.
+
+"Now, Ron," exclaimed Myra, as we said good-night, "if Mr. Garnesk is
+really going to leave us on Monday, you mustn't let him worry about
+things to-morrow. Do let him have one day's holiday while he is with
+us, anyway."
+
+"I will," I agreed. "We'll have a real holiday to-morrow. Suppose we
+all go up Loch Hourn in the motor-boat in the afternoon?"
+
+So it was arranged that we should have an afternoon on the sea and a
+morning's fishing on the loch. Garnesk fell in with the idea readily.
+
+"It will do you good," he declared. "You won't be feeling too frisky
+in the morning after your adventure this afternoon."
+
+As it turned out he was quite right, for I awoke in the morning with a
+slight headache and a tendency to ache all over. So we fished the loch
+in a very leisurely fashion for an hour or two, and after lunch the
+four of us went up to Kinlochbourn. We took a tea-basket with us, and
+very nearly succeeded in banishing the green ray altogether from our
+minds. I had taken my Kodak with me, and we ran in shore, and
+otherwise altered our course occasionally in order to enable me to
+record some choice peep of the magnificent scenery. When we got back
+to the lodge we were all feeling much the better for the outing. After
+dinner Myra, who had taken the greatest interest in the photographs,
+although, poor child, she could not see what I had taken, and would
+not be able to see the result either, was anxious to know how they had
+turned out.
+
+"I should love to know if the snapshots are good," she said,
+"particularly the one at Caolas Mor. Develop them in the morning,
+Ronnie, won't you? If you don't you'll probably take them away, and
+forget all about them."
+
+Garnesk looked at me. He was always on the _qui vive_ for any
+opportunity to give Myra a little pleasure. He felt very strongly that
+she must be kept from worrying at all costs.
+
+"Why not develop them now, Ewart?" he suggested.
+
+"Certainly," I said, "if everybody will excuse me."
+
+"Dad's in the library," Myra replied, "but everybody else will come
+with you if you ask us nicely. Besides, I shall have to tell you where
+everything is. There's plenty of room for us all."
+
+"Right you are," I agreed readily, and went out to get a small folding
+armchair from the verandah. We went up to the dark-room at the top of
+the house, and Myra sat in the corner, giving me instructions as to
+the position of the bottles, etc. I prepared the developer while
+Garnesk busied himself with the fixing acid.
+
+"Now we're ready," I announced, as I made sure that the light-tight
+door was closed, and lowered the ruby glass over the orange on Myra's
+imposing dark-room lamp; she believed in doing things comfortably; no
+messing about with an old-fashioned "hock-bottle" for her. I took the
+spool from my pocket and began to develop them _en bloc_.
+
+"How are they coming along?" Myra asked, leaning forward interestedly.
+
+"They're beginning to show up," I replied; "they look rather
+promising."
+
+"It's rather warm in here," said the girl presently; "do you think it
+would matter if I removed my shade, Mr. Garnesk?"
+
+"Not if you put it on again before we put the light up," the
+specialist answered. Myra took off the shade and the heavy bandage
+with a sigh of relief, and leaned her elbow on the table beside her.
+
+"There's a glass beaker just by your arm, dear," I said; "just a
+minute and I'll put it out of reach."
+
+"All right," said Garnesk, moving forward, "I'll move it; don't you
+worry."
+
+But before he could reach the table there was a crash. The beaker went
+smashing to the floor. I turned with a laugh, which died on my lips.
+Myra was standing up with her hand to her head.
+
+"What is it, darling?" I cried, dropping the length of film on the
+floor. Garnesk made a grab for the shade. Myra gave a short, shrill
+little laugh, which had a slightly ominous, hysterical note in it.
+
+"Don't be alarmed, dear," she said quietly, in a curiously tense
+voice, "_I can see!_"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+WHO IS HILDERMAN?
+
+
+I must admit that I was so delighted to find that Myra had recovered
+her sight that I very nearly made what might have been a very serious
+mistake. I gave a loud shout of triumph and made a dive for the light,
+intending to switch it on. This might, of course, have had a very bad
+effect upon my darling's eyes, but fortunately Garnesk darted across
+the room and knocked up my arm in the nick of time.
+
+"Not yet, Ewart, not yet," he warned me. "We must run no risks until
+we are quite sure."
+
+"But, Ronnie, I can see quite well," Myra declared delightedly. "I see
+everything just as easily as I usually can by the light of the
+dark-room lamp."
+
+"Still, we won't expose you to the glare of white light just at
+present, Miss McLeod," said Garnesk solemnly. "We must be very
+careful. Tell me, how did your sight return, gradually or suddenly?"
+
+"Suddenly, I think," the girl replied. "I took off the shade and laid
+it down, and then when I looked up I could distinctly see the lamp."
+
+"Immediately the shade was removed?"
+
+"No," she answered, "not just immediately. You see, I was looking at
+the floor, which is so dark, of course, that you couldn't see it in
+the ordinary way. Then as soon as I looked up I could see the lamp.
+For a moment I thought it was my imagination, but when I found I could
+see Ron stooping over the developing-dish I knew that I was all right
+again."
+
+"This is very extraordinary, you know," said Garnesk. "Can you count
+the bottles on the middle shelf?"
+
+"Oh, yes!" laughed Myra, "I can make them out distinctly. Of course, I
+know pretty well what they are, but in any case I could easily
+describe them to you if I'd never seen them before."
+
+"What have I got in my hand?" the specialist queried, holding his arm
+out.
+
+"A pair of nail-clippers," Myra declared emphatically, and Garnesk
+laughed.
+
+"Well," he said, "you can obviously see it pretty well; but, as a
+matter of fact, it's a cigar-cutter."
+
+"Oh! well, you see," the girl explained airily, "I always put
+necessity before luxury!"
+
+So then the oculist made her sit down again and questioned and
+cross-questioned her at considerable length.
+
+"I'm puzzled, but delighted," he admitted finally. "It's strange, but
+it is at the same time decidedly hopeful."
+
+"I suppose it means that she will always be able to see in a red light
+at any rate?" I suggested.
+
+"Probably it does," he agreed, "and, of course, her sight may be
+completely restored. There is also a middle course; she may be able to
+see perfectly after a course of treatment in red light. I will get her
+a pair of red glasses made at once. We can see how that goes. But I
+feel that it would be advisable to introduce her to daylight in
+gradual stages, in case of any risk."
+
+"Oh, if we could only find poor old Sholto!" Myra exclaimed eagerly.
+Garnesk turned to her with a look of frank admiration.
+
+"You're a lucky young dog, Ewart," he whispered to me, "by Jove you
+are!"
+
+So Myra graciously, but a little regretfully I think, placed herself
+in the hands of the young specialist and replaced her shade. Then we
+left the dark-room, allowing the films to develop out on the floor,
+and went downstairs. We took her out on to the verandah and removed
+the shade for a moment, but the chill air of the highland night made
+her eyes smart after their unaccustomed imprisonment, and we gave up
+the experiment for that night.
+
+As Garnesk and I bathed together in the morning we were both brighter
+and more cheerful than we had been since his arrival.
+
+"I shall catch the train from Mallaig," he declared. "Can you take me
+in and meet your friend without having long to wait?"
+
+"If you insist on going," I replied, "I can get you there in time to
+meet him and you will have an hour or more to wait for your train."
+
+"Oh, so much the better! We can tell him everything and give him all
+the news in the interval."
+
+"Are you still determined to go?" I asked.
+
+"Yes," he said, "I _must_ go. It will be necessary for me to make one
+or two inquiries and get a pair of glasses made for Miss McLeod."
+
+"I shall be very sorry to lose you, Garnesk," I said earnestly. "Don't
+you think you could write or wire for the glasses? You see, if we have
+come to the conclusion that this green ray is some chemical production
+of Nature unassisted there isn't the same reason for you to leave us."
+
+"No, that's true," he agreed, "but we were both a bit scared
+yesterday, old chap, and the more I think of this dog business the
+less I like it. It was mere conceit on my part that made me say it was
+bound to be some natural phenomenon merely because I couldn't
+understand how the effect could have been humanly produced."
+
+"Perhaps," I suggested, "our best course would be to keep an open mind
+about the whole thing."
+
+"Yes," he replied, "I'm with you entirely. And in that case my going
+away is not going to aggravate the effects of a natural phenomenon,
+while it may restrain the human agency by removing the necessity for
+further activity."
+
+"Well, that's sound enough," I acquiesced; "but I shall hear from you,
+I hope?"
+
+"Of course, my dear fellow," he laughed, "we're in this thing
+together. You'll hear from me as often as you want, and who knows what
+else besides. I have no intention of dropping this for a minute,
+Ewart. But I think I can do more if I am not on the spot. We're agreed
+that my presence here may be a source of danger to you all."
+
+"Yes," I said, "I think yours is the best plan. What do you propose to
+do?"
+
+"Well, to begin with, I shall devote an hour or two to knocking our
+panic theory on the head."
+
+"You mean the natural phenomenon idea?"
+
+"Precisely," said he. "I don't think that it will be able to exist
+very long in the light of physical knowledge--not that that is a very
+powerful light, but it should be strong enough for our purpose. As
+soon as I have convinced myself that our enemy is a mere human being I
+shall take such steps as I may think necessary at the time. Then, of
+course, I shall acquaint you with the steps that I have taken, and we
+shall work together and round up our man, and, figuratively speaking,
+make him swallow his hideous green ray."
+
+"What sort of steps do you mean?" I asked.
+
+"Well, that all depends," my friend answered, "on what sort of man we
+have to deal with. But it will certainly include providing ourselves
+with the necessary means of self-defence, and may run to calling in
+the assistance of the authorities."
+
+"I'm not sure that the presence of the police in a quiet spot like
+this might not have a disastrous effect on our plans," I pointed out.
+
+"I shouldn't worry about the police," he laughed. "I should make for
+the naval chaps. I'm rather pally with them just now; I'm booked up to
+do some work of various descriptions for the period of the war, and I
+think if I can give them the promise of a little fun and excitement
+they would be willing to help."
+
+"Which indeed they could," I agreed readily. "Any attempt our enemy
+might make to get away from us would probably mean a bolt for the open
+sea, and a few dozen dreadnoughts would be cheerful companionship."
+
+Garnesk laughed, and we strolled up to the house, putting the
+finishing touches to our toilet as we went. Shortly after breakfast we
+made ready for our trip to Mallaig. Myra was very anxious to come with
+us until I explained that we should have to wait there till we had met
+Dennis and seen the specialist off. She was naturally sensitive about
+appearing in public with the shade on, poor child, so she readily gave
+up the idea.
+
+"I'm very sorry you're going, Mr. Garnesk," said Myra, as she shook
+hands.
+
+"I shall see you again soon," he replied. "I have by no means finished
+with your case, and as soon as you report the effect of the glasses I
+shall send you'll see me come tripping in one afternoon, or else I
+shall ask you to come down to me."
+
+"It's very good of you to take so much trouble about it," said Myra
+gratefully.
+
+"Not at all," he responded lightly. "It is a pleasure, Miss McLeod, I
+assure you."
+
+The old general was still more effusive of his gratitude, and as he
+waved good-bye from the landing-stage his face was almost comically
+eloquent of regret.
+
+"By the way," said Garnesk as we passed Glasnabinnie, "don't tell
+Hilderman much about what has happened. We feel we can trust him, but
+you never know a man's propensity for talking until you know him very
+well."
+
+"Right," I agreed. "I'll take care of that. We can't afford to get
+this talked about. It would be very painful for Myra and her father if
+it became the chatter of the country-side."
+
+"Besides," Garnesk pointed out, "it will be much safer to be quiet
+about it. If we are dealing with men they will probably prove to be
+desperate men, and we don't want to run any risks that we can avoid."
+
+"No," said I, "this is going to be quite unpleasant enough without
+looking for trouble."
+
+So when we arrived in Mallaig and met Hilderman on the fish-table I
+was careful to remember my companion's advice.
+
+"Ah, Mr. Ewart!" the American exclaimed in surprise, "How are you? And
+you, Professor? I hope your visit has proved entirely satisfactory.
+How is Miss McLeod?"
+
+"Just the same, I am sorry to say," Garnesk replied glibly. "There
+is no sign at all of her sight returning. I can make nothing of it
+whatever."
+
+"Dear, dear, Professor!" Hilderman exclaimed, with a shake of the
+head. "That is very bad, very bad indeed. Haven't you even any idea
+as to how the poor young lady lost her sight?"
+
+"None whatever," said Garnesk, with a hopeless little shrug. "I can't
+imagine anything, and I'm not above admitting that I know nothing.
+There is no use my pretending I can do anything for poor Miss McLeod
+when I feel convinced that I can't."
+
+"So you've given it up altogether, Mr. Garnesk?" Hilderman asked, as
+we strolled to the station.
+
+"What else can I do?" the oculist replied. "I can't stop up here for
+ever, much as I should prefer to stay until I had done something for
+my patient."
+
+"You have my sympathy, Mr. Ewart," said Hilderman in a friendly voice.
+"It is a terrible blow for you all. I fervently hope that something
+may yet be done for the poor young lady."
+
+"I hope so too," I answered, with a heavy sigh, but the sigh was
+merely a convincing response to the lead Garnesk had given me, for, as
+a matter of fact, I was quite certain that we had found the basis of
+complete cure.
+
+"Yes," Hilderman muttered, as if thinking aloud, "it is a very
+terrible and strange affair altogether. Have you had any news about
+the dog?"
+
+"None whatever," I replied, this time with perfect truth.
+
+"Surely you must suspect somebody, though," the American urged. "It is
+a very sparsely populated neighbourhood, you know."
+
+"We can't actually suspect anybody, nevertheless," said I. "On the one
+hand, it may have been an ordinary, uninteresting thief who stole the
+dog with a view to selling him again. On the other hand----"
+
+"Well," said Hilderman with interest, as I paused, "on the other
+hand?"
+
+"It may have been someone who had other reasons for stealing him," I
+concluded.
+
+"I don't quite follow you."
+
+"Ewart means," said Garnesk, cutting in eagerly, evidently fearing
+that I was about to make some indiscreet disclosure of our suspicions,
+though I had not the slightest intention of doing so, "Ewart means
+that it may have been someone who regarded the dog as a personal
+enemy. Miss McLeod informs us that there was a man in the hills,
+ostensibly a crofter, who disliked Sholto, quite unreasonably. He
+drove the dog away from his croft and was very rude to Miss McLeod
+about it. She suspected an illicit still, and thought the fellow was
+afraid Sholto might nose out his secret and give the show away."
+
+"Ah!" said Hilderman. "An illicit still, eh! Where was this still, or,
+rather, where was the croft?"
+
+I remembered that Myra had told us it was somewhere up Suardalan way,
+above Tor Beag, and I was just about to explain, when I felt my
+friend's boot knock sharply against my ankle. Taking this as a hint
+and not an accident, I promptly lied.
+
+"It was miles away," I announced readily, "away up on The Saddle. Miss
+McLeod wanders pretty far afield with Sholto at times."
+
+"Indeed," said the American, "I should think that might be quite a
+likely explanation, and rather a suitable place for a still, too. I
+climbed The Saddle some months ago with an enthusiastic friend of
+mine. We went by water to Invershiel, and then drove up the Glen. I
+shouldn't like to walk from Invermalluch and back; there are several
+mountains in between, and surely there is no road."
+
+Evidently our shrewd companion suspected that I had either made a
+mistake or deliberately told him an untruth, but I was quite ready for
+him. I had no time to consider the ethics of the matter. I was out to
+obey what I took to be my instructions, and obey them I did.
+
+"Oh, there are quite a lot of ways of getting there," I replied
+airily; "but perhaps the easiest would be to take the motor-boat to
+Corran and walk up the Arnisdale, or follow the road to Corran and
+then up the river. Miss McLeod has her own ways of getting about this
+country, though, and she may even know some way of avoiding the
+difficulties of the Sgriol and the other intervening mountains."
+
+Hilderman looked at me in considerable surprise for a moment.
+
+"You seem to know the district pretty well yourself, Mr. Ewart," he
+remarked.
+
+"Well, I ought to," I explained; "I was born in Glenmore."
+
+"Oh, I didn't know that," he murmured; "that accounts for it, then."
+And at that moment we heard the train approaching, and we hurried into
+the station to meet our respective visitors.
+
+"Fact or fancy?" asked Garnesk in an undertone as we strolled down the
+platform, Hilderman having hurried on ahead.
+
+"Fancy," I replied. "I took it you wanted me to avoid giving him the
+precise details."
+
+"Yes, I did," he laughed. "But you certainly made them precise enough.
+It is better to be careful how you explain these things to strangers."
+
+"Why?" I asked. "If we suspected Hilderman I should be inclined to
+agree with you that we should feed him up with lies; and if you think
+it will help us at all to suspect him I'm on at once. But as we both
+feel that his disposition is friendly and that we have no cause to
+doubt him, what is your reason for putting him off the scent every
+time? I know you well enough by this time to feel sure that you
+haven't been making these cryptic remarks for the sake of hearing
+yourself speak."
+
+"Here's the train," he said. "I'll tell you later."
+
+I looked along the carriages for Dennis, but I had evidently missed
+him, for as I turned back along the platform I found him looking round
+for me, standing amid the _melee_ of tourists and fisherfolk, keepers
+and valets, sportsmen and dogs, which is typical of the West Highland
+terminus in early August, and which seemed little affected by the fact
+that a state of war existed between Great Britain and the only nation
+in the world which was prepared for hostilities.
+
+"Well, old man," I greeted him as we shook hands heartily. "You got my
+wire, of course. I hope you had a decent journey."
+
+"Rather, old chap, I should think I did!" he replied warmly. "Slept
+like a turnip through the beastly parts, and woke up for the bit from
+Dumbarton on. I also had the luck to remember what you said about the
+breakfast and took the precaution of wiring for it. Here I am, and as
+fit as a fiddle."
+
+"That's great!" I exclaimed cheerily, for Dennis's bright attitude had
+exactly the effect on me that it was intended to have--it made me feel
+about twenty years younger. "This is Mr. Garnesk, the specialist, who
+very kindly came from Glasgow to see Myra. Mr. Garnesk--Mr. Burnham."
+
+The two shook hands, and the oculist suggested lunch. We left the
+station to go up to the hotel, but we saw Hilderman and his newly
+arrived friend--the same man who had seen me taking Myra up to
+London--walking leisurely up the hill in front of us. Garnesk took my
+arm.
+
+"Steady, my boy, steady," he said quietly. "We don't want to be
+overheard giving the lie to your dainty conversation of a few minutes
+ago. Isn't there anywhere else we can lunch, because they are
+evidently on the same tack?"
+
+"Yes," I replied, turning back, "there's the Marine just behind you.
+That'll do us well. Then we can come out and talk freely where there's
+no chance of our being overheard."
+
+So we lunched at the Marine Hotel, after which we strolled round
+the harbour, along the most appalling "road" in the history of
+civilisation, popularly and well named "the Kyber." Safely out of
+earshot, I made a hurried mental _precis_ of the events of the past
+few days, and gave Dennis the resultant summary as tersely as I could.
+
+"I'm very glad you had Mr. Garnesk with you," said Dennis at last,
+with a glance of frank admiration at the young specialist.
+
+"Not so glad as I am," I replied fervently. "What I should have done
+without him heaven only knows. I can't even guess."
+
+"Oh, nonsense!" cried Garnesk, in modest protest. "I haven't been
+able to do anything. Our one advance was a piece of pure luck--the
+discovery that Miss McLeod could see by the light of a red lamp. We
+have decided to keep that quite to ourselves, Mr. Burnham."
+
+"Of course," agreed Dennis, so emphatically that I laughed.
+
+"Why so decided, Den?" I asked, for I felt that I should like to climb
+to the topmost pinnacle of the highest peak in all the world and shout
+the good news to the four corners of the earth.
+
+"I'm not a scientist, Ron," Dennis replied. "That may account for the
+heresy of my profound disbelief in science. I wouldn't cross the road
+to see a 'miracle.' The twentieth century is uncongenial to anything
+of that sort. Take it from me, old chap, there's a man at the back of
+this--not a nice man, I admit, but an ordinary human being to all
+outward appearances--and when we catch a glimpse of his outward
+appearances we shall know what to do."
+
+"Yes, _when_ we do," I sighed.
+
+"You mustn't let Ewart get depressed about things, Mr. Burnham. He
+very naturally looks at this business from a different standpoint.
+With him it is a tragic, mysterious horror, which threatens the
+well-being, if not the existence, of a life that is dearer to him than
+his own."
+
+"I'll look after him," said Dennis, with a grim determination which
+made even Garnesk laugh.
+
+"When you two precious people have finished nursing me," I said, "I
+hope you'll allow me to point out that that very reason gives me a
+prior claim to take any risks or run into any dangers that may crop up
+from now on. If there is any trouble brewing, particularly dangerous
+trouble, then it is my place to tackle it. I am deeply grateful to you
+fellows for all you have done and are doing and intend to do, but the
+nursing comes from the other side. I can't let you run risks in a
+cause which is more mine in the nature of things than yours."
+
+"I fancy," said Dennis, "that even your eloquent speeches will have
+very little effect when it comes to real trouble. If danger comes
+it'll come suddenly, and we shall be best helping our common cause by
+looking after ourselves."
+
+"Hear, hear," said Garnesk, and I could only mutter my thanks and my
+gratitude for the possession of two staunch friends.
+
+"To get back to business," I said presently, "why did you want me to
+bluff Hilderman like that?"
+
+"Because," said Garnesk slowly, "I'm not sure that Hilderman is the
+man to take into our confidence too completely. It's not that I don't
+trust the man, but he looks so alert and so cute, and has such a
+dreamy way of pretending he isn't listening to you when you know jolly
+well that he is, that I have a feeling we ought to be careful with
+him."
+
+"Very much what Dennis said about him the first time he saw him. But
+if you don't suspect him, and he is a very cute man, why not trust him
+and have the benefit of his intelligence?"
+
+"How would you answer that question yourself, Ewart?" the specialist
+asked quietly.
+
+"Oh," I laughed, "I should point out that his cuteness may be the very
+reason that we don't suspect him."
+
+"Precisely," Garnesk agreed; "and that is partly my answer as well."
+
+"And the other part?" put in Dennis quietly.
+
+"Well, it's a difficult thing to say, and it's all conjecture. But
+I have a feeling that Hilderman is not what he says he is. He has
+a knack of doing things, a way of going about here, that gives me
+the impression he is employing his intelligence, and a very fine
+intelligence it probably is, all the time. I don't think he is retired
+at all. There's a restless energy about the fellow that would turn
+into a sour discontent if his mind were not fully occupied with work
+which it is accustomed to, and probably enjoys doing."
+
+"Have you anything to suggest?" I asked.
+
+"I have an idea," he replied; "but I haven't mentioned it because it
+doesn't satisfy me at all. I have an idea that the man is some sort
+of detective hard at work all the time. But I can't imagine what sort
+of detective would take a house up here and keep himself as busy as
+Hilderman appears to be over some case in the neighbourhood. I can't
+imagine what sort of case it can be."
+
+"What about a secret German naval base in the Hebrides?" I suggested.
+"It's not by any means impossible or even unlikely that the Germans
+have utilised the lonely lochs and creeks to some sinister purpose.
+Many of the lochs are entirely hidden by surrounding mountains, which
+come right down to the edge of a narrow opening, and make the place
+almost unnoticeable unless you happen to be looking for it."
+
+"There's something in that, certainly," Garnesk agreed; "but we must
+remember he's been here since May. Surely our precious Government
+would have managed to find what they wanted, and clear it out by this
+time. Then again, did they suspect the base, or did they have a
+general idea that war was coming so far back as May?"
+
+"As to the war," Dennis put in, "we don't really know when the
+authorities had their first suspicions."
+
+"No," said I; "but I fancy it was not a very definite suspicion until
+after the Archduke was assassinated. But look here, Garnesk, just let
+us suppose Hilderman really is a Government detective in the guise of
+an American visitor. Wouldn't he be just about the man we want, or do
+you think it would make too much stir to take him into our
+confidence?"
+
+"Far too much," Garnesk replied emphatically. "It's not that he
+would talk; but if he has been here all this time his opponents have
+got wind of him long before this, and his arrival on the scene in
+connection with our case would give any suspicious character the tip
+to bolt. I should advise keeping in touch with Hilderman, learn as
+much as you can about him, and be ready to run to him for help if you
+come to the conclusion that he is the man to give it."
+
+We sat down among the heather at the foot of the Mallaig Vec road, and
+looked out over the harbour.
+
+"Don't turn your heads," said Dennis quietly, "but glance down at the
+pier."
+
+"Yes," said Garnesk in a moment, "he seems to be as interested in us
+as we are in him."
+
+Hilderman and his friend were standing on the end of the pier watching
+us through their field-glasses.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+THE RED-HAIRED MAN.
+
+
+"I'll send the glasses at once," said Garnesk, as the train steamed
+out of the station. Dennis and I stood on the platform and watched him
+out of sight.
+
+"He seems a good fellow," said Dennis.
+
+"Splendid!" I agreed readily. "He's exceeding clever and wide-awake,
+and very charming. What we should have done without him heaven only
+knows. I fancy his visit saved the entire household from a nervous
+collapse."
+
+"We've no time for collapses, nervous or otherwise," Dennis replied.
+"We shall want our wits about us, and we shall need all the vitality
+we can muster. But at the same time I don't think there is any cause
+for nerves. You're not the sort of man, Ron, to let your nerves get
+the better of you in an emergency, especially if we can prove that our
+enemy is a tangible quantity, and not a conglomeration of waves and
+vibrations."
+
+"Hilderman and his friend appear to be waiting for us," I interrupted.
+
+"You may as well introduce me," said Dennis. "I'd like to meet the
+man. Who is his friend, do you know?"
+
+"Haven't the remotest idea," I replied. "I have seen him once before,
+but that is all. I don't know who he is."
+
+"Is he staying with Hilderman, or does he live in the neighbourhood?"
+
+"That I couldn't tell you either," I said. "I'm sure he doesn't live
+anywhere near Invermalluch."
+
+As we strolled out of the station Hilderman and his companion were
+standing chatting by the gate which leads on to the pier. As we
+approached, Hilderman turned to me with a smile.
+
+"Ah, Mr. Ewart," he exclaimed, "your friend has left you, then. I hope
+you won't let his inability to help Miss McLeod depress you unduly.
+While there's life there's hope."
+
+"I shall not give up hope yet awhile, anyway," I answered heartily.
+
+"May I introduce my friend Mr. Fuller?" he asked presently, and I
+found myself shaking hands with the round-faced little man, who
+blinked at me pleasantly through his glasses. I returned the
+compliment by introducing Dennis.
+
+"On holiday, Mr. Burnham?" asked the American. Dennis was so prompt
+with his reply that I was convinced he had been thinking it out in the
+meanwhile.
+
+"Well, I hardly know that I should call it a holiday," he replied
+immediately. "I have just run up to say good-bye to Ewart before
+offering my services to my King and country. We had intended to join
+up together, but he has, as you know, been detained for the time
+being, so I am off by myself."
+
+"We are very old friends," I explained, "and Burnham very decently
+decided to come here to see me as I was unable to go south to see
+him."
+
+"Never mind, Mr. Ewart," said Hilderman. "I guess you'll be able to
+join him very soon. I wish you luck, Mr. Burnham. I suppose it won't
+be long before you leave."
+
+"He's talking of returning to-morrow," I cut in. "I wish you'd tell
+him it's ridiculous, Mr. Hilderman. Fancy coming all this way for
+twenty-four hours. He must have a look round, to say nothing of his
+stinginess in depriving me of his company so soon."
+
+"Well, I can quite understand Mr. Burnham's anxiety to join at the
+earliest possible moment," he answered. "But I've no doubt Lord
+Kitchener wouldn't miss him for a day. I think he might multiply his
+visit by two, and stop till Wednesday, at any rate. Ah, here's the
+_Fiona_!"
+
+I looked out to the mouth of the harbour, and saw the steam yacht,
+which was in the habit of calling at Glasnabinnie, gliding past the
+lighthouse rock. I was about to make some comment on the boat when
+Hilderman forestalled me.
+
+"How are you going back?" he asked.
+
+"In a motor-boat," I replied. "I am afraid Angus is getting weary of
+waiting already."
+
+"I'm sure Mr. Fuller would be delighted to have you fellows on board.
+Why not let your man take Mr. Burnham's luggage to Invermalluch, and
+come to Glasnabinnie on the _Fiona_? You can lunch with me, and when
+you tire of our company I will run you across in the _Baltimore_. Eh?
+What do you say?"
+
+"I shall be delighted, of course," his companion broke in.
+
+I hesitated for a moment, and glanced at Dennis. His face obviously
+said, "Accept," so I accepted.
+
+"Thank you," I said; "we shall be very pleased. It will be more jolly
+than going back by ourselves."
+
+"Good!" cried Hilderman, "and I can show you the view from my
+smoking-room. I hope it will make you green with envy."
+
+So I gave Angus his instructions, and the four of us waited at the
+fish-table steps for the dinghy to come ashore from the yacht. She was
+not a particularly beautiful boat, but she looked comfortable and
+strong, and her clumsy appearance was accentuated by the fact that her
+funnel was aft a commodious deck dining-saloon, on the top of which
+was a small wheel-house. Myra had been right, as it turned out; she
+was a converted drifter. The two men who came in to pick us up wore
+the usual blue guernsey, with _S.Y. Fiona_ worked in an arc of red
+wool across the chest. They were obviously good servants and useful
+hands, but there was none of that ridiculous imitation of naval
+custom and etiquette which delights the heart of the Cotton Exchange
+yacht-owner. We boarded the _Fiona_ with the feeling that we were going
+to have a pleasant and comfortable time, and not with the fear that
+our setting of a leather-soled shoe upon the hallowed decks was in
+itself an act of sacrilege. We were no sooner aboard than Fuller set
+himself to play the host with a charm which was exceedingly attentive
+and neither fussy nor patronising.
+
+"The trivial but necessary question of edible stores will detain us
+for a few moments," he said. "But we shall be more comfortable here
+than wandering about among the herrings." So we made ourselves
+comfortable in deck-chairs in the stern, while the steward went ashore
+and made the all-important purchases.
+
+"You cruise a good deal, I suppose?" was my first question.
+
+"Yes, a fair amount," our host replied. "I pretty well live on board,
+you know, although I have a small house further north, on Loch Duich,
+if you know where that is."
+
+"Mr. Ewart was born up here, and knows it backwards," Hilderman
+informed him. And we chatted about the district and the fishing and
+the views until the steward returned, and we got under weigh. I should
+have liked to have seen the accommodation below, but the journey was a
+short one, and I had no opportunity to make the suggestion. Dennis
+was sitting nearest the rail, and there was a small hank of rope at
+his feet.
+
+"I beg your pardon, Mr. Burnham," said Fuller suddenly. "I didn't
+notice that rope was in your way." And he learned over and tossed the
+rope away. As he did so some hard object fell with a clatter from the
+coil.
+
+"It's not interfering with me in the least," laughed Dennis, and
+looked down at a large, bone-handled clasp-knife which had dropped in
+front of him. He picked it up idly, and weighed it in his hand.
+
+"Useful sort of implement," he said.
+
+"Oh, these sailor-chaps like a big knife more than anything," said
+Hilderman; "and, of course, they need them strong. I daresay that has
+been used for anything, from primitive carpentry to cutting tobacco.
+The one knife always does for everything."
+
+We continued our conversation while Dennis idly examined the knife,
+opening it and studying the blade absently. Presently Fuller, noticing
+his absorption, began to chaff him about it.
+
+"Well," he laughed, "have you compiled a complete history of the knife
+and it's owner? If you're ready to sit an examination on the subject I
+will constitute myself examiner, then we'll find who the knife belongs
+to, and corroborate or contradict your conclusions."
+
+"It's a very ordinary knife to find on board a boat, I should think,"
+said Dennis.
+
+"Oh come, Mr. Burnham," Hilderman joined in, "you mustn't wriggle out
+of it. Surely you can answer Mr. Fuller's questions."
+
+"If Mr. Fuller will allow me to put one or two preliminary questions
+to him," Dennis replied, entering into the spirit of fun, "I am ready
+to go into the witness-box and swear quite a number of fanciful
+things."
+
+"Come now, Fuller," chaffed Hilderman. "You must give him a run for
+his money, you know. He is risking his reputation at a moment's
+notice. I think you ought to let him ask you three questions, at any
+rate."
+
+"Fire away, Mr. Burnham," said our host. "I'll give you a start of
+three questions, and then you must be prepared to answer every
+reasonable question I put to you, or be branded publicly as an
+unreliable witness and an incompetent detective."
+
+Dennis puffed at his pipe and smiled, and I was surprised to see that
+he really was bringing his mind to bear on the trivial problem with
+all the acuteness he had in him.
+
+"Well, in the first place," he asked, "do you stop in port very often
+overnight, or for any length of time during the day?"
+
+"I never stop in port longer than I can help," laughed Fuller, "or the
+owner of that knife would probably take the opportunity of buying a
+new one, and throwing this old thing away. All the same, I don't see
+how that is going to help you."
+
+"Ah," said Dennis, in bantering vein, "you mustn't expect me to give
+away my process, you know. The secret's been in the family for years."
+
+"What's your second question, Den?" I asked.
+
+"Is there a hotel within reasonable distance of your house on Loch
+Whatever-it-is, Mr. Fuller?"
+
+"Loch Duich?" our host replied. "There's one about six miles by road
+and eleven or twelve by the sea."
+
+"I don't think I need ask you the third question, then," said Dennis.
+"You can begin your examination now."
+
+"Now, Mr. Burnham," Fuller commenced, "you quite understand that
+anything you say will be taken down in writing, and may be used as
+evidence against you?"
+
+"I assure you I have a keen appreciation of the gravity of the
+situation," Dennis replied seriously.
+
+"Well," said Fuller, "I'll begin with an easy one--one that won't tax
+your powers of observation beyond endurance."
+
+"Yes," I urged, "let him down gently. He does his best."
+
+"What profession does the owner of that knife follow?"
+
+Hilderman and I laughed.
+
+"We may as well count that answer as read," he said.
+
+"There's a catch there, Dennis," I warned him. "The legal designation
+is 'mariner.'"
+
+"I don't think it is," said my friend.
+
+"We won't quarrel about terms," laughed our host graciously. "Sailor
+or seaman or deckhand will do just as well."
+
+"No," said Dennis, "it won't. The owner of this knife is not a sailor
+by profession."
+
+"But," Fuller protested, "it must belong to one of my crew, and it is
+obviously a seaman's knife."
+
+"In that case," Dennis answered, "I think you'll find that you have a
+man on board who is not a professional seaman in the ordinary use of
+the term. I'll tell you what I think of this knife, shall I?"
+
+"By all means," urged Hilderman and his friend together, and I began
+to take a keen interest in this curious discussion, for I could see
+that Dennis was no longer playing. He turned the knife over in his
+hand, and looked up at Fuller.
+
+"Mr. Fuller," he said quietly, "the owner of this knife is not a
+sailor by profession. He is probably a schoolmaster. I can't be sure
+of that, but I can say this definitely: he is a professional man of
+some sort, possibly an engineer, but, as I say, more probably a
+mathematical master. He is left-handed, has red hair, a wife, and at
+least one child."
+
+I shouted with laughter when I realised how thoroughly my friend had
+pulled my leg, but I broke off abruptly when Hilderman sat bolt
+upright, and his chair and Fuller's cigar fell unheeded on to the
+deck. But in a second they took their cue from me, and roared with
+laughter.
+
+"Oh, excellent, Mr. Burnham," said Hilderman between his guffaws. "But
+you forgot to mention that his sister married a butcher's assistant."
+
+"Ah, but I don't admit she did," Dennis protested.
+
+"I'm very much indebted to you for exposing this masquerader," said
+Fuller. "I shall have the matter inquired into. But seriously, Mr.
+Burnham, you made one extraordinary fluke in your deductions, which
+almost took my breath away. I have a man on board with red hair, and
+when the boat came into the harbour he was working about here. I saw
+him leave his work to come ashore for us. I shouldn't be at all
+surprised to find that the knife belonged to him."
+
+"Oh, well," Dennis laughed, "one shot right is not a bad average for a
+beginner, you know."
+
+"No," said Hilderman, puffing a cloud of smoke, and dreamily following
+its ascent with his eyes, "not bad at all. Not bad at all."
+
+And then, the joke of the clasp-knife being played out, we admired the
+scenery, and conversed of less speculative subjects till we arrived at
+Glasnabinnie.
+
+We were pulled ashore by the man with the red hair, and when our host
+confronted him with the knife he promptly claimed it.
+
+"I think you won, Mr. Burnham," laughed Fuller, and Dennis smiled
+in reply. We slid alongside the landing-stage and stepped out, and
+Dennis's schoolmaster was about to slip the painter through a ring
+and make the boat fast. But evidently the ring was broken. The man
+came ashore, and Hilderman began to lead us up the path. But Dennis
+deliberately turned and watched the sailor. Hilderman and his
+companion strolled ahead while I stood beside Dennis. The man with the
+red hair fished among a pile of wire rope, and picked out a small
+marline-spike. Then he lifted a large stone, held the marline-spike on
+the wooden planking of the landing-stage, and hammered it in with the
+stone. Then he threw the painter round it, and made the boat secure in
+that way.
+
+"Yes," murmured Dennis quietly, as we turned to join the others, "I
+think I won."
+
+For the man had held the stone in his left hand.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+A FURTHER MYSTERY.
+
+
+"Well," said Hilderman, as we caught them up, "what about lunch? After
+his journey I daresay Mr. Burnham has an appetite, not to mention his
+excursion into the realm of detective fiction."
+
+"We lunched at Mallaig," I explained, "with Mr. Garnesk before we saw
+him off."
+
+"Oh, did you?" he asked, with evident surprise. "I didn't see you at
+the hotel."
+
+"We went to the Marine," I replied, "to save ourselves a climb up the
+hill."
+
+"We had a snack at Mallaig too," the American continued, "intending to
+lunch here. Are you sure you couldn't manage something?"
+
+"It would have to be a very slight something," Dennis put in. "But I
+daresay we could manage that."
+
+"Good!" said Hilderman. "Come along, then, and let's see what we can
+do."
+
+We strolled into the drawing-room through the inevitable verandah,
+and though Hilderman was the tenant of the furnished house he had
+contrived to impart a suggestion of his own personality to the room.
+The furniture was arranged in a delightfully lazy manner that almost
+made you yawn. The walls were hung with photographic enlargements of
+some of the most beautiful spots in the neighbourhood. I remembered
+what Myra had told me as to his being an enthusiastic photographer, so
+I asked him about them.
+
+"Did you take these, Mr. Hilderman?"
+
+"Yes," he answered. "These are just a few of the best. I have many
+others which I should like you to see some time. I always leave the
+enlarging to keep me alive during the winter months. These are a few
+odd ones I enlarged for decorative purposes."
+
+"They are beautiful," I said enthusiastically, for they were real
+beauties, more like drawings in monochrome than photographs. "And
+you certainly seem to have got about the neighbourhood since your
+arrival."
+
+"Yes," he laughed, "I don't miss much when I get out with my camera.
+Most of these were taken during the first month of my stay here."
+
+"These snow scenes from the Cuchulins are simply gorgeous, and surely
+this is the Kingie Pool on the Garry?"
+
+"Right first time," he admitted, evidently pleased to see his work
+admired. I thought of Garnesk's suspicion that our American friend was
+engaged on detective work of some kind, and it struck me that with his
+camera and his obvious talent he had an excellent excuse for going
+almost anywhere, supposing he were called upon at any time to explain
+his presence in some outlandish spot.
+
+"You must have kept yourself exceedingly busy," I remarked in
+conclusion.
+
+After the meal we adjourned to the hut above the falls. Hilderman
+certainly had some right to be proud of his view. It was magnificent.
+We stood outside the door and gazed out to sea, north, south and west,
+for some minutes.
+
+"You have the same uninterrupted view from inside," said Hilderman, as
+we mounted the three steps to the door. He held the door open, and I
+stepped in first, followed by Dennis and Fuller. The window extended
+the whole length of the room, and folded inwards and upwards, in the
+same way as some greenhouse windows do. Suddenly I laughed aloud.
+
+"What's the joke?" asked Hilderman.
+
+"This," I said, pointing to a large carbon transparency of a mountain
+under snow, which hung in the window on the north side. "You've no
+idea how this has been annoying us over at Invermalluch."
+
+"How?" asked Dennis.
+
+"It swings about in the breeze," I replied, "and it reflects the light
+and catches everybody's eye. It's a very beautiful photograph, Mr.
+Hilderman, but, like many human beings, it's exceedingly unpopular
+owing to the position it holds."
+
+"A thousand apologies, Mr. Ewart," said the American. "It shall be
+removed at once."
+
+"Oh, not at all!" I protested. "Surely you are entitled to hang a
+positive of a photograph in your window without receiving a protest
+from neighbours who live nearly three miles away."
+
+"That's Invermalluch Lodge, then, across the water," Dennis asked.
+
+"Yes," I replied, and we forgot about the transparency, which remained
+in undisputed possession of a pitch to which it was certainly
+entitled. We sat and smoked, and looked out at the mountains of Skye
+and the wonderful panorama of sea and loch, with an occasional glance
+at the gurgling waterfall at our feet, and presently I picked up a
+copy of an illustrated paper which was lying at my hand. I turned the
+pages idly, and threw a cursory glance at the photographs of the
+week's brides, and the latest efforts of the theatrical press agents,
+and I noticed, without thinking anything of the fact, that one page
+had been roughly torn out. I was about to remark that probably the
+most interesting or amusing picture in the whole paper had been
+accidentally destroyed, when Fuller leaned across Dennis, and took the
+paper out of my hands.
+
+"Don't insult Mr. Hilderman's precious view by reading the paper in
+his smoking-room, Mr Ewart," he said, with a loud laugh. "As a
+Highlander you should have more tact than that."
+
+Hilderman turned round, and looked from one to other of us.
+
+"What paper is he reading? I didn't know there was one here."
+
+I explained what paper it was, adding, "I quite admit that it was a
+waste of time when I ought to be admiring your unrivalled view, Mr.
+Hilderman. I offer you my sincere apologies."
+
+Hilderman threw a quick glance at Mr. Fuller.
+
+"Better give it him back, Fuller," he said. "There is nothing more
+annoying than to have a paper snatched away from you when you're
+half-way through it."
+
+Shortly after that Fuller declared that he must be leaving, and asked
+Hilderman rather pointedly whether he felt like a trip to Loch Duich.
+I determined to step in with an idea of my own.
+
+"I was going to make a suggestion myself, Mr. Hilderman," I began,
+"but it doesn't matter if you are engaged."
+
+"Well, I don't know that I'm particularly keen to come with you this
+afternoon, Fuller," he remarked. "What was your suggestion, Mr.
+Ewart?"
+
+"I was wondering whether you would come over to Invermalluch with
+Burnham and me and--er--have a look round with us?"
+
+"Well, if Fuller doesn't think it exceedingly rude of me, I should
+like to," the American replied, "especially as Mr. Burnham will be
+leaving you to-morrow, or the day after at latest."
+
+"Incidentally, I don't know how we shall get back without you," I
+pointed out. "You see, we sent the motor-boat on."
+
+"By Jove, so you did!" Hilderman exclaimed. "Well, that settles it,
+Fuller."
+
+"I could take them on the _Fiona_ and put them ashore," his companion
+persisted. Hilderman gave Fuller a look which seemed to clinch the
+matter, however, for the little man beamed at me through his
+spectacles, and explained that if he took us in his yacht it would be
+killing two birds with one stone.
+
+"Still, of course, my dear fellow," he concluded, "you must please
+yourselves entirely."
+
+So we saw him safely on board the _Fiona_, and then started for
+Invermalluch in Hilderman's magnificent Wolseley launch.
+
+"Fuller knows me," he explained, by way of apology. "I go up with him
+sometimes as often as three times a week, but I gathered that you
+asked me with a view to discussing the mystery of the green flash, or
+whatever you call it."
+
+"You're quite right; I did," I replied. "I simply want you to come and
+have a look at the river, and see what you can make of it."
+
+"Anything I can do, you know, Mr. Ewart," he assured me, "I shall be
+delighted to do. If you think it will be of any assistance to you if I
+explore the river with you--well, I'm ready now."
+
+From that we proceeded to give him, at his request, minute details of
+Garnesk's conclusions on the matter, and I am afraid I departed from
+the truth with a ready abandon and a certain relish of which I ought
+to have been most heartily ashamed.
+
+When we stepped ashore at Invermalluch Hilderman looked back across
+the water.
+
+"If I'd waited for Fuller," he laughed, "I should have been stuck
+there yet. He's let the water go off the boil or something."
+
+We went up to the house and had tea on the verandah, for the General
+had taken Myra up Loch Hourn in the motor-boat. After tea we got to
+business.
+
+"Now that I've had a very refreshing cup of tea," the American
+remarked, "I feel rather like the mouse who said '_Now_ bring out your
+cat' when he had consumed half a teaspoonful of beer! Now show me the
+river."
+
+"I don't want to sound at all panicky," I said, "but I think I ought
+to warn you that our experiences at the particular spot we are going
+to have--well, shall we say they have provided a striking contrast
+from the routine of our daily life?"
+
+"I'm not at all afraid of the river, Mr. Ewart," he replied lightly.
+"I should be the last person to doubt the statements of yourself and
+Miss McLeod and the General, but I am inclined to think the river has
+no active part in the proceedings."
+
+"You hold the view that it was the merest coincidence that Miss McLeod
+and the General both had terrible and strange experiences at the same
+spot?" asked Dennis.
+
+"It seems to be the only sensible view to hold," Hilderman declared
+emphatically. "I must say I think Miss McLeod's blindness might have
+happened in her own room or anywhere else, and the General's strange
+experience seems to me to be the delusion of overwrought nerves. I
+confess there is only one thing I don't understand, and that is the
+disappearance of the dog. That's got me beaten, unless it was that
+crofter."
+
+"We intend to go to the Saddle to-morrow and make a few
+investigations. I was going by myself," I added cautiously, "but I
+think I can persuade Burnham to stay and go with me."
+
+"I certainly should stay for that, Mr. Burnham," Hilderman advised.
+"One more day can't make much difference."
+
+"I'll think it over," said Dennis, careful not to commit himself
+rashly.
+
+We came to the Dead Man's Pool, and crossed over the river, and began
+to walk up the other side.
+
+"This is about the right time for a manifestation of the mystery," I
+remarked lightly, though I was far from laughing about the whole
+thing.
+
+"Well," said Hilderman, "if we are to see the green flash in operation
+I hope it will be in a gentle mood, and not pull our teeth out one by
+one or anything of that sort." Evidently he had little sympathy with
+our fear of the green ray and the awe with which we approached the
+neighbourhood of the river.
+
+"Are we going to the right place?" Dennis asked. "I mean the identical
+spot?"
+
+"That lozenge-shaped thing up there is the Chemist's Rock," I replied,
+"and the other important place is Dead Man's Pool, which we have just
+left."
+
+"Miss McLeod went blind on the Chemist's Rock, didn't she?" Dennis
+inquired.
+
+"Yes," I replied, with a shudder. "She was fishing from it."
+
+"Then suppose we go back to the pool," he suggested. We agreed readily
+enough, for I had no desire to hang about the fateful rock, and
+Hilderman for his part seemed to have no faith in the idea at all. I
+fancy he thought it would make no difference to us in what part of the
+river we might be, only provided we didn't fall in. So Dennis led the
+way back, and he was the first to pick his way to the middle of the
+stream. Hilderman and I were some distance behind. Suddenly we stopped
+stock-still, and looked at him. He had begun to cough and splutter,
+and he seemed rooted to the small stone he was standing on in the
+middle of the stream. In a flash I understood, and with a cry I
+bounded after him, Hilderman following at my heels.
+
+"It's all right, Ewart," cried Hilderman behind me. "He's only choked,
+or something of that sort. He'll be all right in a minute."
+
+Dennis had crossed to the centre of the stream by a way of his own,
+and we ran down to the stepping-stones by which we had come, in order
+to save the time which we should have been compelled to waste in
+feeling for a foothold as we went. Every second was of importance, and
+I fully expected to see Dennis topple unconscious into the pool below
+before I should be able to save him. I knew what it was exactly; he
+was going through my own horrible experience of "drowning on dry
+land," to quote Garnesk's vigorous phrase. Imagine my astonishment,
+therefore, when I reached Dennis's side with only a slight difficulty
+in breathing. There was no sign, or at least very little, of the air
+which was "heavier than water." Hilderman plunged along behind me,
+and we reached the stone on which my friend was standing almost
+simultaneously. Dennis held an arm pointing up the river, his face
+transfixed with an expression of horrified amazement. Suddenly
+Hilderman gave a hoarse, shrill shout, breaking almost into a scream.
+
+"Shut your eyes!" he yelled. "Shut your eyes! Oh, for heaven's sake,
+shut your eyes!"
+
+But I never thought of following his advice. Dennis's immovable arm,
+pointing like an inanimate signpost up the river, fascinated me.
+Slowly I raised my eyes in that direction. Then I stepped back with a
+startled cry, lost my footing, slipped, and fell on my face among the
+rocks.
+
+_The river had disappeared!_
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+CONCERNS AN ILLUSTRATED PAPER.
+
+
+The river had disappeared!
+
+In front of us was a great green wall of solid rock, which seemed to
+tower into the sky above us, and to stretch away for miles to right
+and left. The curious part about it was that the rock was undoubtedly
+solid. The shrubs that grew upon it, the great crevices and clefts,
+were all real. I knew--though I had a hard struggle to make myself
+believe--that it was all a marvellous and indescribable delusion, for
+there could be no cliff where only a few seconds before there had been
+a mighty, rushing torrent.
+
+And yet I could have planted finger and foot on the ledges of that
+solid precipice and climbed to the invisible summit. Hilderman was
+muttering to himself beneath his breath, but I was too dazed, my brain
+was too numbed to make any sense out of the confused mumble of words
+which came from him. Dennis held my arm in a vice-like grip that
+stopped the circulation, and almost made me cry out with the pain.
+
+Hilderman staggered, his arm over his eyes, across the stepping-stones
+to the side of the stream. I found my voice at last.
+
+"Dennis!" I shouted at the top of my voice, though why I should have
+shouted I can never explain, for my friend was standing just beside
+me. "Dennis, come away, man. Get out of this!"
+
+I exerted my strength to the uttermost, but Dennis was immovable,
+rooted to the spot by the strange, snake-like fascination of the
+nightmare. Then, as suddenly as it had arisen, the rock disappeared
+again, and there before our startled gaze was a peacefully flowing
+river. Dennis turned to me with a face as white as a sheet.
+
+"The place is haunted," he said, with a somewhat hysterical laugh.
+
+"Let's get away from it and sit down, and think it over," I urged,
+pulling him away. We made for the side of the river and sat down, at
+a very safe distance from the bank. I rolled up my sleeve, and had a
+look at my arm.
+
+"Great Scott!" Dennis exclaimed, as I dangled the pinched and purple
+limb painfully. "What on earth did that?"
+
+"I'm afraid it was your own delicate touch and dainty caress that did
+it, old man. You seized hold of me as if you hadn't seen me for years,
+and I owed you a thousand pounds."
+
+"Ron, my dear fellow," he said penitently, "I'm most awfully sorry.
+Why didn't you shout?"
+
+I burst out laughing.
+
+"I entered a protest in vigorous terms, but you were otherwise engaged
+at the moment, and, anyway, don't look so scared about it, old man;
+it'll be quite all right in a minute."
+
+Poor Dennis was quite upset at the evidence I bore of his absorption
+in the miracle, and we postponed our discussion while he massaged the
+injured arm in order to restore the flow of blood.
+
+"Where's Hilderman?" I asked presently, and though we looked
+everywhere for the American he was nowhere to be seen.
+
+"He didn't look the sort to funk like that," said Dennis thoughtfully.
+
+"I should have been prepared to bet he was quite brave," I concurred.
+"Well, anyway," I added, "the main point is, what do you think of our
+entertainment? You've come a long way for it, but I hope you are not
+disappointed now you've seen it. It's original, isn't it?"
+
+"By heaven, Ron!" he cried, "you're right. It is original. It is even
+a more unholy, indescribable mystery than I expected, and I never
+accused you of exaggerating it, even in my own mind."
+
+"I'm glad that both you and Hilderman have had ocular demonstration
+of it," I remarked. "It is so much more convincing, and will help
+you to go into the matter without any feeling that we are out on a
+hare-brained shadow-chase."
+
+"We're certainly not that, anyhow," Dennis agreed emphatically. "It is
+a real mystery, Ronald, my boy. A real danger, as well, I'm afraid.
+But we'll stick at it till the end."
+
+"Thanks, old fellow," I said simply, and then I added, "I wonder what
+can have become of Hilderman?"
+
+"Gad!" cried Dennis, in sudden alarm. "He can't have fallen into the
+river by any chance?"
+
+We jumped to our feet and looked about us.
+
+"No," I said presently, "he hasn't fallen into the river." And I
+pointed a finger out to sea. The _Baltimore II._, churning a frantic
+way across to Glasnabinnie, seemed to divide the intervening water in
+one great white slash.
+
+"I wonder," said Dennis quietly, "_is_ that funk, or isn't it?"
+
+We watched the diminishing craft for a minute or two in silence, and
+finally decided to keep an open mind on the subject until we might
+have an opportunity to see Hilderman and hear his own explanation.
+
+"Talking about explanations, what about the left-handed schoolmaster
+with the red-headed wife, or whatever it was?" I asked.
+
+"That was a bit of luck," said Dennis modestly, "and I will admit, if
+you like, that we owe that to Garnesk."
+
+"Garnesk wasn't there," I protested.
+
+"No," my friend admitted, "he wasn't there at the time, but he put
+me on the look-out for a left-handed sailor. I was very much
+impressed with his deductions about the man who stole Miss McLeod's
+dog, and I determined to be on the look-out for a left-handed man. I
+also admit that I carefully watched everyone we met, especially the
+fishermen at Mallaig, to see if I could detect the sort of man I wanted.
+I was rewarded when we were pulled out to the _Fiona_ by those
+two men of Fuller's. One of them was red-headed, you remember? Well,
+that man was left-handed. It was very easy to observe that by the way
+he held his oar and generally handled things. Of course I was very
+bucked about it, so I paid very close attention to him. He wore a
+wedding-ring--ergo, he was married. It is not conclusive, of course,
+but a fairly safe guess when you're playing at toy detectives. So when
+I found the knife I looked for some sign that it belonged to him, and
+found it. It was all quite simple."
+
+"I daresay it will be when you explain it, but you haven't in the
+least explained it yet," I pointed out. "How about the schoolmaster
+and all that, and what made you think the knife belonged to him."
+
+"Simply because he was very probably--working on the law of
+averages--the only left-handed man among the crew, and that knife
+belonged to a left-handed man."
+
+"But my dear old fellow," I cried, "you don't seriously mean to tell
+me that you can say whether a man is left-handed or not by looking at
+marks on the handle of his knife?"
+
+"Not on the handle," Dennis explained; "on the blade. Have you got a
+knife on you?"
+
+I produced my pen-knife.
+
+"I'll trust you with it," I declared confidently. "I've never held any
+secrets from you, Den."
+
+Dennis opened the knife and laid it in the palm of his hand. I stood
+still and watched him.
+
+"You've sharpened pencils with this knife and the pencils have left
+their mark. If you hold the knife as you would when sharpening a
+pencil and look down on the blade there are no pencil marks visible.
+Now turn the knife over and you will find the marks on the other side
+of the blade."
+
+"Half a minute," I said eagerly, "let's have a look. The knife is in
+position for sharpening a pencil and the back of the knife is pointing
+to my chest. The marks are underneath." I took a pencil from my pocket
+and tried it. "Yes, I've got you, Dennis. It's quite clear. If I held
+the knife with the point to my right instead of to my left, as I
+should do in sharpening with my left hand, the marks appear on the
+other side of the blade. It is not quite conclusive, Den, but it's
+jolly cute."
+
+"Not when you're looking for it," he said. "I was struck by the fact
+that the knife which, by its size and weight, was a seaman's handy
+tool, had also been used for the repeated sharpening of a blue pencil.
+When I saw those indications I went through the motion and came to the
+conclusion that the marks were on the wrong side. Then I tried with my
+left hand and accounted for it. The blue pencil made me suspicious. I
+have no knowledge of a yacht-hand's duties, but surely sharpening blue
+pencils is not one of them. Then the knife had also been carried in
+the same pocket as a piece of white chalk. The only sort of person I
+could think of who would carry a piece of chalk loose in his pocket
+and use a blue pencil continuously was a schoolmaster. So I stated
+definitely--there's nothing like bluff--that the knife belonged to the
+left-handed man, who quite obviously had red hair, who appeared to
+wear the insignia of the married state, and who--again according to
+the law of averages--had at least one child. I naturally slumped the
+schoolmaster idea in with it, and there you have the whole thing in a
+nutshell. But it was Garnesk who set me looking for left-handed clues,
+and if I hadn't been looking for it, it would never have entered my
+head."
+
+"But look here," I suggested, "some people sharpen pencils by pointing
+the pencil to them. Wouldn't that produce the same effect?"
+
+"Yes," he admitted, "I thought of that. But the marks would have been
+very much fainter, because there would have been much less pressure. I
+put that idea aside."
+
+"Good!" I exclaimed. "I should much prefer to swallow your theory
+whole, Dennis, but it struck me that might be a possible source of
+error, which, of course, might have led us on to a false trail. And,
+I say, those questions you asked about the time he stayed in port and
+the hotel. Were those all bluff? Or had you some sort of idea at the
+back of them?"
+
+"I had a very definite idea at the back of them," Dennis replied. "I
+thought perhaps the white chalk which was deposited in the blade-pocket,
+and was even noticeable on the handle, might be due to billiard chalk.
+But, of course, I didn't mention billiards, because it would have given
+my line of reasoning away. I thought it was better to spring it on them
+with a bump."
+
+"Which you certainly did," I laughed. "As a matter of fact, I thought
+you were simply having a game with us all. But now that you've told me
+the details, Den, do you remember what happened when you did spring it
+on them?"
+
+"Well, of course I do," he replied. "But even so, I hardly know what
+to make of it. I should like to feel confidently that Fuller is the
+man we are after. But we must remember that both he and Hilderman
+might very easily have thought I really had discovered something from
+the knife and been exceedingly surprised without having any guilty
+connection with the discovery."
+
+"H'm," I muttered, "I prefer to suspect Fuller."
+
+"Oh, I do too," Dennis agreed. "It is safer to suspect everybody in a
+case like this. But why are you so emphatic?"
+
+"Well," I explained, "we have a few little things to go on. Myra
+diagnosed that Sholto was taken on a yacht by Garnesk's left-handed
+man in sea-boots. Then you produce a left-handed member of a yacht's
+crew out of an old pocket-knife, and Fuller jumps out of his skin when
+you mention it. That seems to be something to go on, and then there
+was that incident in the smoking-room."
+
+"When you were reading the paper?" he asked. "I couldn't make that
+out. Did you notice anything suspicious about it?"
+
+"Of course I was in a suspicious mood," I admitted, "but it struck me
+as a singularly rude thing to do to snatch the paper out of my hand
+like that. His remark about Hilderman's precious view was very weak.
+I think there was something behind it."
+
+"What?" asked Dennis.
+
+"It may have been that there was a letter, or something in the way of
+a paper, which he didn't want me to see laid inside the paper; but
+there was another curious point about it. There was a page torn out. I
+had just noticed this and was on the point of making some silly remark
+about it when Fuller leaned right across you and took the thing from
+me, as you saw."
+
+"If the page he didn't want you to see was torn out, there was no
+chance of your seeing it," Dennis argued, logically enough.
+
+"No," I agreed, "but after your exhibition, if he had anything to
+conceal he may have been afraid of my even seeing that the page was
+torn out."
+
+"What do you imagine the missing page can possibly have contained?"
+
+"I don't know," I answered, and thought hard for a minute. "By Jove,
+Den!" I cried suddenly, "I believe I've got it. This takes us back to
+Garnesk's idea of a wireless invention causing all the trouble. We
+think we have reason to believe that Fuller may have stolen the dog.
+We also think we have reason to believe that one of his yacht-hands is
+what you called 'a mathematical master.' Now, suppose the paper had
+got hold of this and printed an illustration of the mysterious
+invention or perhaps a photograph of the mysterious inventor?"
+
+"And the inventor, knowing that we should accuse him of blinding Miss
+McLeod and making off with her dog, the moment we could identify him,
+tears out the offending illustration in case either we or anyone else
+in the neighbourhood should see it? He admitted, by the way, that he
+never went into port if he could help it."
+
+"Well, anyway," I said, "we'll have a look for the paper and find the
+missing page."
+
+"You noticed the date?" Dennis asked, anxiously.
+
+"Oh! it was this week's issue," I replied.
+
+"Do they take it at the house?" he inquired, again with a note of
+anxiety.
+
+"Not that I know of, but we'll rake one up somewhere, don't you fret.
+And, I say, this is a fine way to welcome a visitor; you haven't even
+said how-do to your host and hostess. I'm most awfully sorry."
+
+"Don't be an ass, Ronnie," said Dennis, cheerfully. "With the utmost
+respect, as you barrister chaps would say, I hadn't noticed your
+departure from the requirements of conventional hospitality. I
+wouldn't have missed this for all the world and a bit of Bond Street."
+
+So then we hurried to the house with a nervous energy, which spoke
+eloquently to our state of suppressed excitement.
+
+"All the same," Den muttered dolefully, as we hurried down the stable
+path, "it's going to be what the Americans would call 'some' wireless
+invention that can plant a grown-up mountain in the middle of an
+innocent river in the twinkling of an eyelash."
+
+"It is, indeed, old fellow," I agreed, "but don't let us worry about
+that. We'll get in and see Myra and the General, and then have a look
+round for the _Pictures_--the paper you were looking at."
+
+We found Myra sitting on the verandah and wondering what on earth had
+kept us, and if we had changed our minds and gone straight back south
+with Garnesk.
+
+"I'm most awfully sorry, darling," I apologised. "It's all my fault,
+of course. We went to Glasnabinnie, and since then I've been showing
+Dennis the river and generally forgetting my duties as deputy host."
+
+"What did you go to the river for?" Myra asked, suspiciously.
+
+"Oh! just to have a look round, you know, dear. It's a very nice
+river," I replied, airily.
+
+"Ronnie, dear, please," she said gently, laying her hand on my arm and
+turning her veiled and shaded face to mine, "please don't joke about
+it. I can't bear to think of you running risks there."
+
+I looked at my beautiful, blind darling, and a pang shot through me.
+
+"God knows I'm not joking about it, dearest," I said sadly.
+
+"I know you weren't really, Ronnie. But, please, oh! please, keep away
+from the river."
+
+"Very well, dear," I promised, "I will, unless an urgent duty takes me
+there. We must solve this mystery somehow, and it may mean my going to
+the river. But I promise not to run any unnecessary risks."
+
+"I'll keep an eye on him and see that he takes care of himself, Miss
+McLeod," said Dennis, coming to the rescue.
+
+"Thank you, Mr. Burnham," the girl replied, "but you know it applies
+to you as well. You must look after yourself also."
+
+"By the way, dear," I asked, changing the subject, "have you a copy of
+this week's _Pictures_?"
+
+"I'm afraid not," she answered. "Must it be the _Pictures_? I've just
+been looking at another illustrated paper."
+
+"Looking at what?" I cried, jumping to my feet. "Darling, who's
+talking about running risks?"
+
+"Oh, it's all right, dear," she assured me. "I got Mary to bring my
+dark-room lamp down to the den and just glanced at the pictures by the
+red light. But I won't do it again, if it alarms you, dear. All the
+same, I'm quite sure I could see by daylight."
+
+"You promised Garnesk you wouldn't till you heard from him, darling,"
+I urged. "It might be very dangerous, so please don't for my sake."
+
+"Very well, then," Myra sighed, "I'll try to be good. But I hope he'll
+write soon."
+
+"Where do you think we could get a copy of the paper?" I asked
+shortly.
+
+"If it's frightfully important, dear, you might get one in Glenelg,
+and, failing that, Doctor Whitehouse would lend you his. I know he
+takes it in. Why are you so keen about it?"
+
+"We'll go into the den and tell you everything in a minute or two,
+dear," I promised. "Is there any objection to my sending Angus in to
+the doctor?"
+
+"None whatever," Myra declared, "he can go now if you like."
+
+So after I had despatched Angus into the village with strict
+instructions not to come back without a copy of the paper if he valued
+his life, we all adjourned to Myra's den, and my friend and I told her
+in detail everything that had happened. About an hour and a half later
+Angus returned with the paper. I took it from him with a hurried word
+of thanks and nervously turned over the pages.
+
+"Ah! here's a page I didn't see," I exclaimed excitedly, but the only
+thing on the whole page was a photograph of a new dancer appearing in
+London. Without waiting for me to do so, Dennis leaned over me and
+turned the page over with a quick jerk of the wrist.
+
+"Phew!" I exclaimed involuntarily, and Dennis gave a long, low
+whistle.
+
+"Oh! what is it? Tell me!" pleaded Myra, anxiously.
+
+"It's a photograph of our friend Fuller," I replied slowly, in a voice
+that shook with excitement. "And he's wearing court dress, and
+underneath the photograph are the words 'Baron Hugo von Guernstein,
+Secretary of the Military Intelligence Department of the Imperial
+German General Staff.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+DISCLOSES CERTAIN FACTS.
+
+
+"There's no doubt about it," I remarked as soon as we had partially
+recovered from our surprise. "That's Fuller right enough."
+
+"Oh! there's no doubt it's our man," said Dennis emphatically. "Even
+if we had not the evidence of the torn page to corroborate it, the
+likeness is perfect."
+
+"Yes," I agreed, "but what do you think his game can be? I'm coming
+round to Garnesk's wireless theory."
+
+"Whatever it is, we've stumbled on something of real importance this
+time. We must find out what it is and show it up at once."
+
+"I hope you'll take care," said Myra anxiously. "I shouldn't mind so
+much if I could be with you to help, but it's dreadful to sit here and
+know you are in danger and not be able to do anything at all."
+
+"I'm very glad you can't, darling," I said heartily, as I threw my arm
+round her shoulders. "I don't want you to come rushing into these
+dangers, whatever they may be. In a way I am glad you are not able to
+join us, because I know how difficult it would be to stop you if you
+were."
+
+"I suppose this is all one affair," she said doubtfully. "You don't
+think this is something quite different from the green ray? It might
+be two quite separate things, you know."
+
+"I don't think we are likely to meet with two such interesting
+problems in such a remote locality unless they are connected with each
+other, Miss McLeod, and especially as everything else apart from the
+photograph of Baron von Guernstein points to Fuller as the culprit. I
+think we can take it that in solving one mystery we provide the
+solution to the other."
+
+"I quite agree with you, Dennis," I said, "but what I am worrying
+about now is, what we are going to do."
+
+"The first thing you must do is to dress for dinner, and not let
+anyone imagine there is anything untoward about," Myra advised. "And
+please don't tell father you have been lunching with one of the
+Kaiser's principal spies, if that's what the Baron's title really
+means. I would much rather you said nothing to him at all about it for
+the present, and in any case you must have something definite in mind
+as to your plans before you put the matter to him. If you tell him you
+don't know what to do about it he will be in a dreadful state. He is
+very far from well, and all this business has told on him dreadfully."
+
+"That is very excellent advice, Miss McLeod," Dennis agreed warmly.
+"Ronald, we'll go and disguise ourselves as ordinary, undisturbed
+human beings and hide our fears and doubts behind the breastplate of
+a starched shirt. Come along."
+
+So Dennis dragged me away, and then, realising his indiscretion,
+allowed me to return to my _fiancee_ "just for two minutes, old
+fellow."
+
+Dinner was a curious meal, though not quite so strange as the meal the
+General and I had together the night, less than a week before, that
+Myra lost her sight.
+
+I hope I shall never live through a week like that again. Even now, as
+I look back, I cannot believe that it all happened in seven days. It
+still seems to have been something like seven months at the very
+least.
+
+We had one thing in our favour as we sat down to the table; we all had
+a common object in view. We were each of us determined to forget the
+green ray for a moment. Fortunately the old man took an immediate
+fancy to Dennis and that brightened me considerably. There are few
+things so pleasant as to see those whose opinion you value getting on
+with your friends. Only once, and that after Mary McNiven had come to
+take poor Myra away, did the subject of the green ray crop up.
+
+"Mr. Burnham knows about it all, I suppose?" the General asked.
+
+"I've told him everything, and Garnesk and I went over the whole thing
+with him before the train went."
+
+"Good!" said the old man emphatically. "Excellent fellow
+Garnesk--excellent; in fact, I don't know when I've met such a
+thundering good chap. No new developments, I suppose?"
+
+I hesitated. I could not have brought myself to lie to him, and in
+view of the startling complications with which we had so recently been
+confronted, I was at a loss for an answer. Dennis came to my rescue
+just in time.
+
+"I think Ron's difficulty is in defining the word 'developments,'
+General," said he. "If we said there were developments it would
+naturally convey the impression that we had something definite to
+report. I think perhaps the best way to put it would be that we
+believe we are getting on the right scent, by the simple process of
+putting two and two together and making them four. We hope to have
+something very decided to tell you in a day or two."
+
+"I shall be glad to hear something, I can assure you," said the old
+man, "but in the meantime we will try to forget about it. You have had
+a tiring journey, Mr. Burnham, followed by a strange initiation into
+what is probably a new sphere of life altogether--the sphere of
+mysteries and detectives, and so forth. No, Ronald, we'll give Mr.
+Burnham a rest for to-night."
+
+But just as I was congratulating myself that we had escaped from the
+painful necessity of putting him off with an evasive answer, if not a
+deliberate lie, the butler entered and announced that he had shown
+Mr. Hilderman into the library.
+
+"Well, as we are ready, we had better join him," said the old man, and
+we adjourned to the other room.
+
+Now if Hilderman should by any tactless remark betray our strange
+experience in the afternoon there would be the devil to pay. I
+followed the General into the library, beckoning to the American with
+a warning finger on my lip. He saw at once what I meant, fortunately,
+and held his tongue, and we all talked of general matters for some
+little time. Then Hilderman took the bull by the horns.
+
+"As a matter of fact, General," he announced boldly, "I ran over to
+have a word with Mr. Ewart about a certain matter which is interesting
+us all. I don't suppose you wish me to worry you with details at the
+moment?"
+
+"I should be very glad to hear what you have to tell us, Mr.
+Hilderman, but unfortunately I--er--I have a few letters I simply
+must write, so I hope you will excuse me. My daughter is in the
+drawing-room, so perhaps you fellows would care to join her there. Her
+counsel will be of more use to you than mine in your deliberations, I
+have no doubt."
+
+However, when we looked for her in the drawing-room Myra was not
+there, and I found her in her den.
+
+"Why not bring him in here?" she asked. "He won't bite, and it will
+be more conducive to a free and easy discussion. I should like to
+hear what he has to say for himself in view of his running away this
+afternoon, and I shouldn't feel comfortable in the drawing-room with
+this shade on. In here I feel that he must just put up with any
+curiosities he meets."
+
+So we made ourselves comfortable in the den, and Hilderman sat in a
+chair by the window.
+
+"Of course, you know what I have come to speak about, Mr. Ewart," he
+began at once. "You must have thought my conduct this afternoon was
+very strange--very unsportsmanlike, to say the least."
+
+"Oh, I don't know," I replied as lightly as I could. "It was a very
+strange affair, and it rather called for strange conduct of one sort
+or another."
+
+"Still, you must have thought it cowardly to run away as quickly as I
+could," he insisted.
+
+"It was some time before we even noticed you had left us," I laughed,
+"and then, I confess, I couldn't quite make out where you had got to
+or why you had gone."
+
+"As a matter of fact we were rather scared," Dennis put in. "We
+searched for you in the river."
+
+"It sounds a very cowardly confession to make," Hilderman admitted,
+"but I went back to the landing-stage, got into my boat, and cleared
+off as quickly as I could. I must ask you to believe that I was under
+the impression that it would be best for us all that I should. But my
+idea proved to be a bad one and nothing came of it. So here I am to
+ask you if you have learned anything or have anything to suggest."
+
+"I'm afraid we're more at a loss than ever now," I admitted. "The
+further we get with this thing the less we seem to know about it,
+unfortunately."
+
+Hilderman was exceedingly sympathetic, and though he made numerous
+suggestions he was as puzzled as we were ourselves. I had some
+difficulty in defining his attitude. We knew as much as was sufficient
+to hang his friend "Fuller," but I could not make up my mind whether
+he really was a friend of von Guernstein's or not. It was a small
+thing that decided me. On an occasionable table beside the American
+lay a steel paper-knife, a Japanese affair, with a carved handle and a
+very sharp blade. Hilderman picked up the knife and toyed with it.
+
+"I should be careful with that, Mr. Hilderman," I advised. "That is a
+wolf in sheep's clothing; it's exceedingly sharp."
+
+"Oh, yes!" cried Myra. "If you mean my paper-knife, it ought not
+really to be used as a paper-knife at all, the point is like a needle.
+I must put it away or hang it up as an ornament."
+
+The American laughed and laid the knife down again on the table, and
+we resumed our discussion. Both Dennis and I knew that we must be very
+careful to conceal our suspicions, but at the same time we did our
+best to reach some sort of conclusion with regard to Hilderman
+himself.
+
+"And, I suppose, until you have searched about the Saddle," he
+remarked, "you will be no further on as to who stole Miss McLeod's
+dog. It seems to me that the dog was taken by the man who wished to
+conceal an illicit still, and the green flash, or green ray, or
+whatever you call it, is simply a manifestation of some strange
+electrical combination in the air."
+
+"I'm afraid we shall have to leave it at that," I said with an
+elaborate sigh of regret.
+
+"Not when you have Mr. Burnham's distinguished powers of deduction to
+assist you, surely, Mr. Ewart?" said Hilderman, and waited for an
+answer.
+
+"Flukes are not very consistent things, I fear," Dennis supplied him
+readily, "and if we are to make any progress we shall hardly have time
+for idle speculation."
+
+"Fortune might continue to favour you," the American persisted. "Don't
+you think it's worth trying?"
+
+"I'm afraid not," said Dennis, with a laugh that added emphasis and
+conviction to his statement.
+
+"By the way," Myra suggested, "I don't know if anybody would care for
+a whisky and soda or anything. I won't have drinks served in here, but
+if anybody would like one, you know where everything is, Ron. I always
+say if anyone wants a drink in my den they can go and get it, and
+then I know they really like being in the den. You see I'm a woman,
+Mr. Hilderman," she laughed.
+
+"I must say I think the idea of refreshment would not enter the head
+of anyone who had the pleasure of your company here, Miss McLeod,
+unless you suggested it yourself."
+
+We laughed at the rather heavy compliment, and I went into the
+dining-room to fetch the decanters, syphons and glasses.
+
+"I'll help you to get them," called Dennis, and followed me out of the
+room.
+
+"Well?" I asked as soon as we reached the other room. "What do you
+make of it?"
+
+"I'm not sure," Dennis admitted. "I'm puzzled. I shouldn't be
+surprised if he turned out to be a Government secret service man
+keeping an eye on Fuller-von-Guernstein, and that when he has quite
+made up his mind that the mystery of the green ray is connected with
+his own business he will show his hand."
+
+"Something of the same sort occurred to Garnesk," I said. "Well,
+at present we'd better avoid suspicion and go back before he thinks
+we're holding a committee meeting."
+
+So I led the way to the den. I was walking carefully and slowly,
+because I was unaccustomed to carrying trays of glasses and things,
+and consequently I made no noise. I pushed the door open with my
+shoulder, Dennis following with a couple of syphons, and as I did so
+I chanced to glance upwards.
+
+In a large mirror which hung over the fireplace I saw the reflection
+of Hilderman's face, knitted in a fierce frown, gazing intently at
+some object which was outside my view. Myra was talking, though what
+she was saying I did not notice. I went into the room and put the tray
+on the big table, and as I filled the glasses I looked round casually
+to see what Hilderman had been looking at. Lying on the sofa on which
+Myra was sitting was the copy of the _Pictures_, open at the page
+bearing the incriminating photograph!
+
+I mixed Hilderman's drink according to his instructions--for by this
+time he had entirely recovered his equanimity--and handed it to him.
+As I did so I happened to look in the direction of the small table
+beside him. Myra's Japanese paper-knife was still there, but the point
+had been stuck more than an inch into the mahogany top of the table. I
+turned away quickly, with a laughing remark to Myra, which did not
+seem to raise any suspicion at the time, though I have no recollection
+now what it was I said.
+
+A few moments afterwards I quietly and unostentatiously slipped out of
+the room. Surely there could be no doubt about it now. The whole thing
+was obvious. Hilderman had noticed the paper, jumped to the conclusion
+that we suspected everything, and in the sudden access of baffled rage
+had picked up the paper-knife and stabbed it into the table.
+
+There was only one possible reason for that--Hilderman was an enemy.
+In that case, I thought, he has come here to try and find out how much
+we know and to keep an eye on us. Possibly he might be attempting to
+keep us there so that Fuller could get up to some satanic trick
+elsewhere. I decided to act at once. I turned back to the den and put
+my head round the door.
+
+"Will you people excuse me for a bit?" I said lightly. "The General
+wants me." And with that I left them. I had almost asked Hilderman not
+to go till I came back, but I was afraid it might sound suspicious to
+his acute ears. I hardly knew what to do. I should have liked to have
+been able to speak with Dennis, if only for a moment. Indeed, I am
+quite ready to confess that just then I would have given all I
+possessed for ten minutes' conversation with my friend. I stole
+quietly out of the house, and thought furiously.
+
+If Hilderman wanted to keep us from spying on Fuller, where was
+Fuller? Would I be wiser to wait and try to keep an eye on Hilderman,
+or was my best plan to ignore him and try and locate his German
+friend? I decided on the latter course. I went back and wrote a short
+note to Dennis and slipped it inside his cap.
+
+"I'm convinced they are both enemies. Take care of Myra. I may be out
+all night. Don't let her worry about me; I may not be back for some
+time, but I shall come back all right.--R."
+
+I left this for my friend, knowing that sooner or later he would find
+it, and went down to the landing-stage. The _Baltimore II._ and Myra's
+boat, the _Jenny Spinner_, were drawn up alongside, and I realised
+that if I took the _Jenny_ I should be raising Hilderman's suspicions
+at once. Anchored a little way out was another small motor-boat--the
+first the General had--which Myra had also called after a trout
+fly--the _Coch-a-Bondhu_--though the play upon words was lost on most
+people. The boat was still in constant use, and Angus and Hamish
+continually went into Mallaig and Glenelg in it to collect parcels and
+so on. I ran to the petrol shed, and got three tins of Shell, put them
+in the dinghy and pushed out to the _Bondhu_, climbed on board,
+sounded the tank, filled it up, and started out across the Loch. I can
+only plead my anxiety to get well out of sight and hearing before
+Hilderman should think of leaving the house, as an excuse for my
+lamentable thoughtlessness on this occasion. Indeed, it was not till
+long afterwards that I realised I had forgotten to anchor the dinghy,
+and I left it, just as it was, to drift out to sea on the tide.
+
+I made all the pace I could and reached the other side in about twenty
+minutes. I was sadly equipped for an adventurous expedition! I had no
+flask to sustain me in case of need, no weapon in case I should be
+called to defend myself; I was wearing a dinner-jacket, no hat, and a
+pair of thin patent-leather pumps!
+
+I ran the boat right in shore, heedless of the danger to the
+propeller, in a small sandy cove round the point, so that I was hidden
+from Glasnabinnie. Then I realised that I had been a little too
+precipitate in my departure. There was no anchor-chain on board, and
+the painter was admirably suited for making fast to pier-heads and
+landing-stages at high tide, but was nothing like long enough to
+enable me to make the craft secure on short. However, I dragged her as
+far up as I could, and prayed that I might be able to return before
+the tide caught her up and carried her away. In those circumstances I
+should have been stranded in the enemy's country, by no means a
+pleasing prospect!
+
+Having done the best I could for Myra's faithful motor-boat, I made my
+way round the hill, climbing cautiously upwards all the time, my
+dinner-jacket carefully buttoned in case a gleam of moonlight on my
+shirt-front should give me away at a critical moment. It was a rocky
+and difficult climb, and I soon regretted that I had not taken the
+bridle path to Glasnabinnie and made my way boldly up the bed of the
+burn. However, it was too late to turn back, and eventually, after one
+or two false steps and stumbles, I succeeded in reaching a spot from
+which I could obtain a good view of the hut. No, there was no light
+there, no sign of movement at all. I decided to work my way round to
+the other side and then, if I continued to get no satisfaction, to
+descend to the house. The windows of the hut, or smoking-room, as the
+reader will no doubt remember, extended the whole length of the
+structure; and surely, I thought, if there were a light in the place
+it would be bound to be visible. I edged round the face of a steep
+crag, floundered across the stream between the two falls, getting
+myself soaked above the knees as I did so, and crouched among the
+heather on the other side of the building. No, there was no one there,
+the place was deserted. I knelt down and peered about me listening
+intently.
+
+Not a sound greeted my expectant ear save the incessant rumble of the
+falls. Then as I turned my attention to the house itself and looked
+down the course of the burn to Glasnabinnie, I could scarcely suppress
+a cry of astonishment. For there below me, moving to and fro between
+the house and the hut, was a constant procession of small lights, like
+a slowly moving stream of glow-worms, twenty or thirty yards apart. I
+was rooted to the spot. What could it mean? Was this another weird
+natural manifestation, or was it, as was much more likely, a couple of
+dozen men bearing lights? Yes, that was it, men bearing lights--and
+what else besides? Men don't climb up and down steep watercourses in
+the night for the sake of giving an impromptu firework display to an
+unexpected visitor, I told myself. There was only one thing to do, and
+that was to investigate the matter and chance what might happen to me.
+I crept down to the hut, and lay on my face among the heather and
+listened. Here and there a mumble of voices, now and then a subdued
+shout, apparently an order to be carried out by the mysterious
+light-bearers, broken occasionally by the shrill call of a gull,
+conveyed nothing to me that I could not see. I looked up at the hut.
+No, there was no one there, and the windows were not screened, because
+I could see the moonlight streaming through the far side. Yet, surely,
+the hut must be their objective, I thought. Where else could they be
+going to? Fascinated, I crawled on my hands and knees till I could
+touch the walls of the smoking-room by putting out my arm. I heard a
+great commotion coming, it seemed, from the very ground beneath my
+feet.
+
+I laid my ear to the ground and listened. The noise grew louder, and
+the voices seemed to be shouting against a more powerful sound--the
+waterfall, possibly. I thought perhaps the floor of the hut would give
+me more opportunity to locate the source of the disturbance. I threw
+caution to the winds and slipped through the wide windows into the
+room. I moved as carefully as I could, however, once my feet found the
+floor, for if there should be anyone below they would probably hear me
+up above. I turned back the carpet in order to hear more distinctly,
+and as I did so I noticed a rectangular shaft of light which trickled
+through the floor. There was a trap-door. I knelt down and lifted it
+cautiously by a leather tab which was attached to one side of it and
+peered through. I can never understand how it was I did not drop that
+hatch again with a self-confessing crash when I realised the
+extraordinary nature of the sight that greeted my eyes. There was I in
+the smoking-hut of a peaceful American citizen, where only a few hours
+before I had spent a pleasant hour in friendly conversation, and now I
+was lying on the edge of the entrance to a great cavern.
+
+Below me there was a confused mass of machinery and men. Some were
+working on scaffolding, others were many feet below. The nearest of
+them was so close to me that I could have leaned down and laid my hand
+on his head. I tried to make out what they were doing, but except that
+they were dismantling the machinery, whatever it might be, I could
+make nothing of it. I watched them breathlessly, trembling lest at any
+moment one of them should look up and detect my presence.
+
+The place was lighted by electricity, though there were not enough
+lamps to illuminate the cavern very brightly, and as my eyes got
+accustomed to the lights and shadows I was able to make out the cause
+of this.
+
+Evidently there was a turbine engine below, driven by the water from
+the falls, which supplied the necessary power. After a moment or two
+it dawned on me how the cavern came to be there; it was, or had been,
+the course of a hidden river, such as are common enough among the
+mountains, but the stream had been diverted, probably by some sort of
+landslide, and had left this tumbler-shaped cave, resembling a pit
+shaft. Now, I thought, I have only to find out what all this machinery
+is for and the whole mystery is solved. I opened the trap a little
+further, and allowed my body to hang slightly over the edge.
+
+Then for the first time I saw, to my right, fixed so that it almost
+touched the floor of the hut, a great round brass object, mounted on
+an enormous tripod, which, again, stood on a platform. In front of
+this was a large square thing like a mammoth rectangular condenser,
+such as is used for photographic enlarging and other projection
+purposes. Had it not been for this condenser I should have taken the
+whole thing to be an elaborate searchlight. But, I asked myself, what
+would be the good of a searchlight there? Suddenly the whole truth
+dawned upon me.
+
+The searchlight must operate through a trap in the wall of the hut
+just below the floor. I leaned further in, forgetting my danger in the
+intoxication of sudden discovery.
+
+Only a foot or two away from me a man was working on the searchlight.
+Carefully taking it to pieces, he was handing the parts to another
+man, who was perched on the scaffold below him. He was so close to
+me that I could hear him breathing. I was about to wriggle back to
+safety when he looked up. He gave a sudden loud shout. I lay there
+fascinated. After all, I thought, before they can reach me I can slip
+out and edge round the cliff, run down on to the shore, and get away
+in the motor-boat. But I had reckoned without my host. Even as the man
+shouted, and the others left their work to see what was the matter,
+Fuller dashed out from behind the platform, gave one terrified look at
+me, and, flinging himself at the wall of the cavern, threw all his
+weight on a rope which dangled there. I scuttled to my feet, intending
+to make a bolt for it. But the boards shivered beneath me, and, before
+I could realise what was happening, I found myself hurtling through
+the air to the floor of the cavern below.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+SOME GRAVE FEARS.
+
+
+And now, as the reader will readily understand, I must continue the
+story as it was afterwards related to me.
+
+Myra, the General, and Dennis sat up and waited for me till the
+early hours of the morning, but I did not return. The young people did
+what they could to assure the old man that my sudden and unexpected
+disappearance had been entirely voluntary, and Dennis, who had found
+my note, as soon as he put on his cap to stroll out casually, and see
+where I had got to, gave him subtly to understand that it was really
+part of a prearranged plan, and Myra at length persuaded him to go to
+bed at midnight.
+
+When I failed to put in an appearance at breakfast-time, however, even
+they began to be a trifle alarmed, but they did their best to conceal
+their fears. They scoured the hillside and then went down to the
+landing-stage. Dennis had reported the previous night that the
+motor-boat was still in its place when he saw Hilderman off, and it
+never occurred to Myra that I might make my departure in the
+_Coch-a-Bondhu_.
+
+"He hasn't gone by the sea, any way," Dennis announced again, as he
+and the girl stood on the landing-stage.
+
+"You mean the _Jenny_ is still there?" she asked.
+
+"Yes," said Dennis, "she's just where she was when we arrived from
+Glasnabinnie in Hilderman's boat yesterday."
+
+"Mr. Burnham!" Myra cried suddenly, "is there another boat, a brown
+motor-boat, anchored just out there?"
+
+"No," said Dennis, realising how terribly handicapped they were by
+Myra's inability to see.
+
+"Are you sure?" the girl asked anxiously.
+
+"Quite sure," said Dennis positively. "There is one motor-boat here,
+and that is all."
+
+"I suppose he took that to put Hilderman off the scent," Myra mused,
+"and in that case he is probably quite safe. I daresay he's gone to
+look for our friend von What's-his name's yacht or his house at Loch
+Duich."
+
+Dennis clutched at the opportunity this theory gave him to allay her
+fears, and declared that it was ridiculous of him not to have thought
+of it before, and he gave Myra his arm to the house. But he was not at
+all satisfied with it, and, as it turned out afterwards, Myra was not
+very confident about it either. Dennis knew me well enough to know
+that I should never have set out with the deliberate intention of
+stopping away overnight without leaving some more definite message for
+my _fiancee_. However, their thoughts were speedily diverted, for they
+had hardly reached the house before a strange man made his way
+towards them through the heather.
+
+"Mr. Ewart, sir?" he asked.
+
+"Do you wish to speak to Mr. Ewart?" Dennis asked cautiously.
+
+"I have a parcel and a message for him from Mr. Garnesk," said the
+stranger, a young man, who might have been anything by profession.
+
+"Oh, indeed," said Dennis, his suspicions aroused at once. Garnesk, he
+knew, had only arrived in Glasgow the night before.
+
+"I see you are wondering how I got here and why I came down the hill,
+instead of up a road of some sort," said the youth with a smile.
+
+"Frankly, I was," Dennis admitted.
+
+"Then, perhaps, I had better explain who I am and how I come to
+be here. My name is McKenzie. I am employed by Welton and Delaunay,
+the Glasgow opticians, makers of the 'Weldel' telescopes and
+binoculars. Mr. Garnesk has a good deal to do with our firm in the
+matter of designs for special glasses to withstand furnace heat, for
+ironworkers, etc. He arrived at the works last night in a car, and,
+after consulting with the manager, they kept a lot of us at work all
+night on a new design of spectacles.
+
+"I was sent with this parcel in the early hours of the morning.
+There was no passenger train, but Mr. Garnesk got me a military pass
+on a fish train, and here I am. I was to deliver the parcel to Mr.
+Ewart, or, failing him, to Miss McLeod. When I saw this lady with
+the--er--the shade over her eyes I thought you were probably Mr.
+Ewart, sir."
+
+"I'm not, as a matter of fact," said Dennis. "But where have you come
+from, and why didn't you come up the path?"
+
+"Mr. Garnesk gave me instructions, sir, which I read to the boatman
+who brought me here. Mr. Garnesk said I would find several fishermen
+at Mallaig who had motor-boats, and would bring me across. He also
+gave me this paper, and told me on no account to deviate from the
+directions he gave."
+
+Dennis held out his hand for the paper. He glanced through it, and
+then read it to Myra.
+
+"Take a motor-boat from Mallaig to Invermalluch Lodge," he read. "Tell
+the man to cross the top of Loch Hourn as if he were going to Glenelg,
+but when he gets well round the point he is to double back, and land
+you as near as he can to the house, but to keep on the far side of the
+point. You are on no account to be taken to the landing-stage at the
+lodge. When you arrive at the lodge insist on seeing Mr. Ewart, or
+Miss McLeod personally, if Mr. Ewart is not there. Then rejoin your
+motor-boat, and go on to Glenelg. Wait there for the first boat that
+will take you to Mallaig, and come back by the train. Do not return to
+Mallaig by motor-boat."
+
+"Those are very elaborate instructions, Mr. Burnham," said Myra. "It
+would seem that Mr. Garnesk is very suspicious about something."
+
+"Evidently," Dennis agreed. "You'd better let Miss McLeod have that
+parcel," he added to McKenzie. The youth handed him the parcel, and at
+Myra's suggestion Dennis opened it. Topmost among its contents was a
+letter addressed to me. Dennis tore it open and read it.
+
+"Miss McLeod is to wear a pair of these glasses until I see her again.
+She will be able to see through them fairly well, but she must not
+remove them. The consequences might be fatal. The three other pairs
+are for you and Burnham, and one extra in case of accidents. It will
+also come in handy if you take Hilderman into your confidence. Wear
+these glasses when you are in any danger of coming in contact with the
+green ray. I have an idea that they will act as a decided protection.
+I also enclose one Colt automatic pistol and cartridges, the only
+one I could get in the middle of the night. If you decide to ask
+Hilderman's help tell him everything. I am sure he will be very useful
+to you. Keep your courage up, old man! The best to you all. In
+haste.--H.G."
+
+"We're certainly learning something," said Dennis, as he finished.
+"Obviously Garnesk is very suspicious of somebody, but it's not
+Hilderman. He writes as if he were pretty sure of himself. Probably he
+has proved his theory about Hilderman being a Government detective."
+
+"I have a message for Mr. Ewart, sir," the messenger interrupted.
+
+"You had better tell it me," Dennis suggested.
+
+"I'd rather Miss McLeod asked me," McKenzie demurred. "Those were Mr.
+Garnesk's instructions. He said 'failing Mr. Ewart, insist on seeing
+Miss McLeod.'"
+
+"Very well," laughed Myra. "I quite appreciate your point. May I know
+the message?"
+
+"Mr. Ewart was to take no notice whatever of anything Mr. Garnesk said
+in his letter about Mr. Hilderman. He was on no account to trust Mr.
+Hilderman, but to be very careful not to let him see he was suspected.
+The gentlemen were always to wear their glasses whenever they were in
+sight of the hut above--Glas.--above Mr. Hilderman's house."
+
+"Whew!" Dennis whistled. "But why didn't he----? Oh, I see. He was
+afraid the letter might fall into Hilderman's hands."
+
+"I wonder where Ron can have got to?" Myra mused wistfully.
+
+"We're very much obliged to you for all the trouble you have taken,
+Mr. McKenzie," said Dennis. "You've done very well indeed."
+
+"Oh, Mr. Garnesk also said that Miss McLeod was to put on her glasses
+by the red light."
+
+"Yes; that's important," Dennis agreed. "We'll go up to the house now,
+shall we, Miss McLeod?"
+
+"Yes," said Myra, "and Mr. McKenzie must come and have a meal and a
+rest, as I'm sure he needs both after his journey. I'll send Angus to
+look after the boatman." So the three strolled up to the lodge.
+
+"By the way," said Dennis, "of course it's all right, and you've
+carried out your instructions to the letter, but how can you be sure
+this is Miss McLeod, and how do you know I'm not Hilderman?"
+
+"Mr. Garnesk described everybody I should be likely to meet," McKenzie
+replied, "including Mr. Hilderman and Mr. Fuller. I know you are Mr.
+Ewart's friend because you have a small white scar above your left
+eyebrow. So, being with you, and wearing a shade and an Indian bangle,
+I thought I was safe in concluding the lady was Miss McLeod."
+
+"Garnesk doesn't seem to miss much!" Dennis laughed.
+
+"He made me repeat his descriptions about twenty times," said
+McKenzie, "so I felt pretty sure of myself."
+
+When they got up to the lodge, and the messenger's requirements had
+been administered to, Dennis unpacked the parcel. The spectacles
+proved to be something like motor goggles; they fitted closely over
+the nose and forehead, and entirely excluded all light except that
+which could be seen through the glass. The only curious thing about
+them was the glass itself. Instead of being white, or even blue, it
+was red, and the surface was scratched diagonally in minute parallel
+lines. Myra and Dennis hurried upstairs, and lighted the lamp in the
+dark-room. When the girl came down again she declared that she could
+see beautifully. Everything was red, of course, but she could see
+quite distinctly.
+
+"Have you any idea why these glasses are ruled in lines like this?"
+Dennis asked McKenzie.
+
+"I couldn't say for certain, sir," the youth replied. "But I should
+think it was because Mr. Garnesk thought the glasses would be so near
+the eye as to be ineffective. In photography, for instance, you can't
+print either bromide or printing-out paper in a red light. But if you
+coat a red glass with emulsion, and make an exposure on it, you can
+print the negative in the usual way. I don't know why it is."
+
+"Perhaps there is no space for a ray to form," Myra suggested.
+
+"You must tell Mr. Garnesk how deeply grateful we all are to him,"
+said Dennis. "I'll give you a letter to take back to him. It has been
+a wonderfully quick bit of work!"
+
+"I should think he has got some hundreds of the glasses finished by
+this time," said McKenzie, "and he has already asked for an estimate
+for fifty thousand of them."
+
+"Whatever for?" Myra exclaimed.
+
+"I couldn't say at all, but Mr. Garnesk probably has it all mapped
+out. He always knows what he's about."
+
+A couple of hours later McKenzie left for Glenelg, with ample time to
+catch his boat, and the others sat down to lunch. Myra was delighted
+that she could see, even though everything was red. Just as they had
+finished lunch a telegram was delivered to Dennis. It was handed in at
+Mallaig, and it read: "Don't worry about me. May be away for a few
+days.--EWART."
+
+"Oh, good!" exclaimed Dennis. "A wire from Ron. He's all right. 'Don't
+worry about me. May be away for a few days.' Sent from Mallaig. He may
+have got something he feels he must tell Garnesk about, and has gone
+to Glasgow."
+
+"I expect that's it," Myra agreed. "I'm glad he's wired. I do hope
+he'll write from wherever he is to-night. Do you think I shall get a
+letter in the morning?"
+
+"Certain to," Dennis vowed, laying the telegram on the mantelpiece.
+"He's sure to write, however busy he is."
+
+Though Myra was disappointed that there was no personal message for
+her, she tried to believe that everything was all right. Dennis went
+on what he called coastguard duty, and watched the sea and shores with
+the untiring loyalty of a faithful dog. That night, after dinner, he
+went out to keep an eye on things, and left Myra with her father. She
+has told me since that she felt miserable that I had not wired to her,
+and went to fetch my telegram in order to get what comfort she could
+from my message to Dennis. She held the telegram under the light, and
+read it through. The words were: "May be away for a few days.--EWART."
+She made out the faint pencil writing slowly through the red glass.
+She read it twice through, and then suddenly collapsed into an
+armchair in the horror of swift realisation. "Ewart!" she whispered,
+"Ewart! He would never sign a telegram to Mr. Burnham in that way. If
+Ronnie didn't send that wire, who did?"
+
+In a moment she jumped to her feet. She must act, and act quickly.
+
+She ran into the den, and picked up the revolver and cartridges which
+Garnesk had sent, and which she had put carefully away until I should
+come and claim them. She loaded the revolver, and tucked it in the
+pocket of the Burberry coat which she slipped on in the hall. Then she
+tore down to the landing-stage, and made straight for Glasnabinnie in
+the _Jenny Spinner_. She had got about half a mile when Dennis, coming
+up to the top of the cliff on his self-imposed coastguard duties, saw
+her and recognised her through his binoculars.
+
+He ran down to the landing-stage, putting on his red glasses as he
+went. His horror was complete when he found there was no craft of any
+kind about, not even a rowboat. Alas! I had idiotically allowed the
+dinghy to drift away. He ran along the shore, every now and then
+looking anxiously through his binoculars for any sign of any kind of
+boat that would get him over to Glasnabinnie in time to fulfil his
+promise of looking after "Ron's little girl."
+
+Myra has since admitted--and how proud I was to hear her say it--that
+she forgot about everything and everybody except that I was in danger,
+and probably Hilderman knew something about it. Her one thought was to
+hold the pistol to his head and demand my safe return.
+
+She came ashore a little beyond the house, having made a rather wide
+detour, so that she should not be seen. She knew the best way to the
+hut, and there was a light in it. She thought Hilderman would be
+there. She had passed well to seaward of the _Fiona_, and noticed that
+she was standing by with steam up. Myra climbed the hill to the hut
+with as much speed as she could.
+
+Hilderman was standing below the door of the smoking-room talking to
+three men. She knew that she would have no chance, even with a
+revolver, against four men. She might hurt one of them, but she
+recognised, fortunately, that the others would overpower her.
+
+Eventually Hilderman went into the hut, and two of the men stayed
+outside talking. The other went down the hill. It was in watching
+this man that Myra saw the sight that had astonished me, the
+continuous stream of lights down the bed of the burn. She waited, so
+she said it seemed, for hours and hours, before she could see a real
+chance of attacking Hilderman.
+
+Indeed, neither she nor Dennis can give any very clear idea precisely
+how long it was that she waited there, but it must have been a
+considerable time. At last Hilderman was alone. Myra crept to the edge
+of the little plateau on which the hut stood, and then made a dash for
+the door. She thrust it open and stepped inside, pulling it to behind
+her. Hilderman sprang to his feet with an oath as he saw her.
+
+"Heavens!" he cried. "You!"
+
+Myra drew the revolver and presented it at him.
+
+"Put up your hands, Mr. Hilderman," she said, with a calmness that
+astonished herself, "and tell me what you have done with Ronnie--Mr.
+Ewart."
+
+"I must admit you've caught me, Miss McLeod!" Hilderman replied. "I
+can only assure you that your _fiance_ is safe."
+
+"Where is he?" Myra asked.
+
+"He is quite close at hand," Hilderman assured her, "and quite safe.
+What do you want me to do?"
+
+"You must set him free at once," said Myra quietly.
+
+"And if I refuse?"
+
+"I shall shoot you and anyone else who comes near me."
+
+"Now look here, Miss McLeod," said Hilderman, "I may be prepared to
+come to terms with you. If you shot me and half a dozen others it
+would not help you to find Mr. Ewart. On the other hand, it would be
+awkward for us to have a lot of shooting going on, and I have no wish
+to harm Mr. Ewart. If I produce him, and allow you two to go away, are
+you prepared to swear to me that you will neither of you breathe a
+word of anything you may know to any living soul for forty-eight
+hours? I think I can trust you."
+
+Myra thought it over quickly.
+
+"Yes," she said, "if you will----"
+
+But she never finished the sentence. At that moment someone caught her
+wrist in a grip of steel, and wrenched the pistol from her.
+
+"Come, come, Miss McLeod," said Fuller. "This is very un-neighbourly
+of you."
+
+Myra looked round her in despair. There must be some way out of this.
+She cudgelled her brains to devise some means of getting the better of
+her captives. Fuller laid the pistol on the table and sat down.
+
+"You need not be alarmed," he said. "We shall not hurt you. You will
+be left here, that is all. And we shall get safely away. After this we
+shall not be able to leave your precious lover with you, but Hilderman
+insists that he shall not be hurt, and we shall take him to Germany
+and treat him as a prisoner of war."
+
+Then Myra had an inspiration. She turned her head towards Fuller, as
+if she were looking about two feet to the right of his head.
+
+"You may as well kill me as leave me here," she said calmly.
+
+"Nonsense," said Hilderman. "If we leave you here, and see that you
+have no means of getting away by sea, you will have to find your way
+across the hills or round the cliffs. There is no road, and by the
+time you return to civilisation we shall be clear."
+
+"That's very thoughtful of you," said Myra. "You bargain on my falling
+over a precipice or something. A blind girl would have a splendid
+chance of getting back safely!"
+
+"Good heavens!" Hilderman cried. "I thought you must be able to see.
+Fuller, this means that that fellow Burnham came with her, and is
+close at hand. What in the name----"
+
+But he, too, was interrupted, for a great, gaunt figure flashed like
+some weird animal through the window. A long bare arm reached over
+Fuller's shoulder and snatched the pistol.
+
+"Yes, Mr. Burnham is with her," said Dennis quietly, as he stood in
+front of them, stripped to the waist, the water pouring off him in
+streams, and covered them with the revolver.
+
+Hilderman and Fuller von Guernstein held up their hands as requested.
+
+"This is very awkward," said Fuller. "We shall have to let that
+wretched Ewart go."
+
+And then Dennis swayed, threw up his arms, and fell sideways, full
+length on the floor. Myra glanced at him, and threw herself on her
+knees beside the prostrate form.
+
+"Dead!" she screamed. "_Dead!_"
+
+Hilderman pushed her gently aside, and knelt down to examine Dennis.
+
+"It's his heart," he announced. "Come Hugo. We're safe now, and the
+girl's blind. Let's get away."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE TRUTH REVEALED.
+
+
+I will here resume my own narrative.
+
+When I came to myself I was dazed and aching, but, so far as I could
+discover, there were no bones broken. The curious part about it was
+the rapidity with which I recalled my fall into the cavern. When I
+found I could move my limbs freely I sat up, and discovered that I was
+in a small cabin on board a steamer. I stood up and stretched myself.
+I was feeling weak and ill, but that would pass off I thought. A
+minute's speculation decided me that I was on board the _Fiona_, in
+which case I was shanghaied.
+
+I knew that if I valued my life I must act at once. I opened the door
+of the cabin, and was surprised to find that it was unlocked. Then I
+crept cautiously in the shadows of the dawn up the companion-ladder to
+the deck. Though I heard voices I could see no one close to me. I
+stole along the deck and listened. The voices were talking quite
+freely in German. Where could we be? And, more important still, where
+were we going?
+
+I looked around me, and saw that we were steaming slowly down a narrow
+loch, surrounded by mountains which stretched right down to the
+shores. I looked across the deck and almost shouted out in my
+surprise. For there, moving gracefully alongside of us, was a
+submarine. There were two officers on the deck of the submarine
+chatting with Hilderman and Fuller, who were leaning over the rail of
+the _Fiona_. A submarine! A German submarine in a peaceful Scottish
+loch! Then this was the secret base we had discussed. I looked up at
+the wheel-house. In front of it was the very searchlight, with its
+curious condenser that I had seen in the cavern.
+
+What could it mean? I decided to slip overboard unseen, if possible,
+swim to the shore, and get back over the rocks to the mouth of the
+loch, and give the alarm if I should be fortunate enough to attract
+the attention of any passing steamer.
+
+But suddenly an idea struck me. I crept quickly up the ladder to the
+deckhouse, threw my arms round the man at the wheel, flung him down on
+to the deck, and swung the wheel round with all the strength I had in
+me. There was a dull, crunching sound as the yacht lurched round. A
+groaning shiver shook her, and, if I may be pardoned the illustration,
+it felt exactly as if the ship were going to be sick. There were
+hoarse cries from the men, and as the _Fiona_ righted herself I looked
+astern. There was a frothy, many-coloured effervescence of oil and
+water.
+
+The submarine had disappeared! The yacht was nearing the head of the
+loch. It was now or never. I made a dash for the side, but Fuller was
+before me. He tripped me up, and I fell heavily to the deck, bruising
+myself badly and giving my head a terrible bump. I put up my arm in a
+last feeble attempt to defend myself. Fuller's hands closed on my
+throat and nearly choked the life out of me, and as I sank back,
+struggling for breath, a loud cry rang out from Hilderman.
+
+"Guernstein! Guernstein!" he yelled.
+
+Fuller let me go and ran to Hilderman. I lifted myself on my elbow.
+Somehow or other I would crawl to the side, and get away before he
+came back to finish me, but as I looked out over the stern I was
+rooted to the spot by the sight that met my eyes. Or was I deluding
+myself with the fantastic delirium of a dying man? Not four hundred
+yards away was a motor-boat. It was Hilderman's _Baltimore II._, and
+in it were Myra, my poor Myra, and Garnesk and Angus, all wearing
+motor-goggles. But, strangest of all, a British destroyer was puffing
+serenely behind them. No, I must be dreaming. Garnesk had told me he
+was sending glasses for Myra. He had mentioned his connection with the
+naval authorities. This must be the nightmare of death-agony.
+
+Then Fuller rushed up the wheel-house ladder and jumped on to the
+searchlight platform. Suddenly there flashed out on the grey light of
+the dawn a vivid green ray. So, then, the mystery was solved--but,
+alas! too late. The green ray was produced by a searchlight, and every
+man on the destroyer would be blind. I looked back, and as I did so I
+remembered, with an uncanny distinctness, old General McLeod's words,
+"The rock came to me." The warship seemed suddenly to grow double its
+size, and then double that, and so on, growing bigger and bigger until
+it appeared to fill the entire loch, and spread out the whole length
+of the horizon. I could even see a gold signet-ring on the finger of a
+young officer on the bridge. I looked round at the details of the
+boat; it stood out in amazing clearness. If one man on that ship,
+hundreds of yards away, had opened his mouth I could have counted his
+teeth. Suddenly I gasped with astonishment as I awoke to the fact that
+every man on board the destroyer was wearing motor-goggles! I had no
+time to speculate about this new surprise, for then the _Fiona_, left
+to her own devices, suddenly crashed ashore. The ship shook and
+shivered, and Fuller was thrown on his face beside the searchlight,
+and as I looked again the destroyer had resumed its normal
+proportions.
+
+Then the crew of the _Fiona_ rushed about the deck in mad terror,
+until, evidently at the wise suggestion of one of their number, they
+decided to wait calmly and give themselves up. Hilderman, closely
+followed by Fuller, sprang ashore, and made for the mountains. Half a
+dozen shots rang out from the destroyer, and a rifle bullet checked
+Fuller's progress before he had gone more than a few yards.
+
+Hilderman, however, managed to reach the shelter of a ridge of rock,
+and I watched him as he scuttled up the mountain side, and made
+straight for a long grey rock which protruded from the foot of a steep
+crag. And as I looked, and saw him go to the rock and open a door in
+it, I realised that it was really a great, grey, lean-to shed,
+cunningly concealed. Hilderman had scarcely opened the door when a
+huge, dark shadow seemed to fall out of the shed and envelop him. It
+was Sholto. Blind, and half-mad with fury, he sprang at Hilderman's
+throat with the unerring aim of his breed. The wretched man staggered
+and fell, and Sholto----.
+
+I turned away from the sickening sight, and looked over the side, and
+saw Myra standing up, waving to me, as they drew alongside the wrecked
+_Fiona_.
+
+And then I'm afraid I must have fainted.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+I lay on the sofa in Myra's den, and Myra--God bless her!--was
+kneeling beside me. Sholto was with us too, looking incredibly wise in
+a pair of motor-goggles.
+
+"So you see, darling," said Myra, "the glasses cured me completely,
+and I can see just as well as ever." And I shall not repeat what I
+said in reply to such glorious news.
+
+"Tell me, dear," I asked shortly, "what exactly happened with Dennis?
+I haven't quite got that."
+
+"Well, he saw me on my way to Glasnabinnie," she explained, "and was
+determined to follow. He couldn't find a boat of any kind, so he swam!
+Angus saw him in the water and ran and told daddy. When they found
+there was no boat they went and fetched the one on the loch, carried
+it down to the sea, and called Hamish. Then they pulled across. Then,
+you see, when Dennis had his heart attack, I thought he was only
+pretending. I thought he saw that we should never be able to get away
+again, and that if he pretended to be dead they would leave us alone.
+So I followed his lead. I was terribly frightened when I couldn't make
+him answer me after they had gone, but before I could do anything
+daddy and the men arrived. Angus stopped with me, and told me where
+the _Fiona_ had gone. We took the _Baltimore_ because she is much
+faster than our boat. He must have been a duffer to lose that race we
+had. And then daddy and Hamish took Dennis--I refuse to call him Mr.
+Burnham after this--and brought him here and sent for Dr. Whitehouse."
+
+"I'm thankful he's out of danger," I said fervently.
+
+"But the doctor says he must take it very, very gently for a long
+time, and he won't be able to walk much for months. Did he know he
+had this heart trouble?"
+
+I had scarcely finished explaining the extent of Dennis's heroism when
+Garnesk arrived.
+
+"Hilderman's dead!" he said. "He made a full confession. It seems he
+is a German, and his name's von Hilder. He has lived most of his life
+in America. He is a brilliant physicist, and has done some big things
+with electricity and light. He was here to prepare the submarine base
+you found, and he also got on with a new invention--The Green Ray. Of
+course he didn't give the secret of that away, but we have the
+searchlight, and I have already tumbled to it partly. It is
+practically a new form of light.
+
+"It is formed by passing violet and orange rays through tourmaline and
+quartz respectively. The accident to Miss McLeod was their first
+intimation of its blinding properties, and to the end he knew nothing
+about the suffocation part of it. I find by experiment that when the
+two rays are switched on simultaneously the air does not become
+de-oxygenised, but when you put the violet ray first it does, and it
+remains so until the orange ray is applied. The effect that Hilderman
+imagined, and succeeded in producing, was a ray of light which should
+so alter the relative density of the air as to act as a telescope.
+He's done it, and it's one of the finest achievements of science.
+However, I have a piece of wonderful news for you."
+
+"What is it?" we both demanded at once.
+
+"The Secret of the Green Ray is ours, and ours alone. Hilderman has
+admitted that the reason why they did not clear it out at the first
+sign of suspicion was that, in their final calculations, they were
+unsure of their figures. That means, put popularly, that though he
+knew what he was trying to do, and how he meant to do it, the actual
+result was something of a fluke. It very often is with inventors. They
+had no drawings that they could rely on to make another searchlight
+by, so they were bound to take the whole thing back with them. They
+could send no figures, because the relative distances and other
+quantities baffled them. They could not take the searchlight back in
+pieces, because if any piece had been broken they might not have been
+able to reconstruct the proportions with critical accuracy, as we say.
+So what was to have been Germany's hideous weapon of war is now ours.
+We have a searchlight which acts as a telescope, which will pierce the
+deepest fog, and which will dispel the most ungodly poisonous gases
+ever invented. You can see for yourself that no gas could make headway
+against the atmosphere you encountered the other day. Armies and
+navies will be absolutely powerless to advance against it. The green
+ray is the fourth arm of military power. So you see what you've done
+for your country, you lucky dog!"
+
+"_I!_" I cried. "I like that! I've had less to do with it than
+anyone. What about you, eh?--coming running up with a gunboat at the
+critical moment. How did you manage that?"
+
+"Well," he replied, "as soon as I was in the train on my way back I
+solved the problem of the fateful hour--with your help, of course. You
+pointed out that only then was the whole of the gorge flooded with
+sunshine. Now, it struck me that, if it were not electricity, it would
+be heat or some other form of light. Then it flashed into my mind that
+if it were done from a searchlight possessed of some devilish
+properties the light would not be visible, but the properties would
+continue to act. _Voila!_ Then I had already--also with your help--had
+some doubt of von Hilder; and the hut was _the_ place from which a
+searchlight would operate on the river. As soon as I got out of the
+train I taxied to my naval chief, under whom I am working throughout
+the war, and simply paralysed him with the whole yarn. I pitched him
+such a tale that he got through to the gunboat to stand by at Mallaig.
+They were at Portree, nice and handy. I rushed and got the glasses
+done for the men, picked up the destroyer at Mallaig, and made round
+here to find out what was happening. Then we sighted Miss McLeod and
+Angus, and you know the rest. Miss McLeod refused to take the shelter
+the warship offered, and Angus refused to leave her, so I stayed with
+them. We acted as pilot-boat, and there you are. That's the lot! Are
+you satisfied?"
+
+"I'm satisfied, old man," I said, holding out my hand. "Some day I'll
+try and tell you _how_ satisfied."
+
+"Oh, that's all right," he laughed, and left us in great spirits to
+return to the searchlight.
+
+And so I was left alone with Myra, who a month ago became my wife. For
+my services rendered in connection with the remarkable affair I
+received an appointment in the Naval Intelligence Department, while
+many of our recent successes on land and on sea have, though the truth
+has been withheld from the public, been due to the employment of The
+Green Ray.
+
+                         THE END.
+
+_Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons, Ltd., London and Reading._
+
+
+
+
+TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
+
+Minor changes have been made to correct typesetter's errors; otherwise,
+every effort has been made to remain true to the author's words and
+intent.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Mystery of the Green Ray, by William Le Queux
+
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