gan 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 str