CHAPTER X.
THE SECRET OF THE ROCK.
We made exhaustive inquiries everywhere, but no one had seen a yachtanchored or otherwise resting off the point the previous night. One ortwo vessels had been noticed passing the mouth of Loch Hourn duringthe evening, but they were mostly recognisable as belonging toresidents in the neighbourhood, and in any case not one of them hadbeen seen to drop the two men in a boat who were causing us so muchanxiety. When Garnesk and I went up the river to the Chemist's Rock wewere equally unsuccessful there.
"Look here," I said, "suppose you were to go blind, Mr. Garnesk? Ican't allow you to run any risks of that sort. We have every reason toknow that there is something gruesome and uncanny about this spot, andI 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 yourkindness in assisting us as you are doing run the length of possibleblindness."
"Nonsense, my dear fellow," he exclaimed; "we're in this together. Iam just as keen to get to the bottom of this matter as you are. But itbehoves us both to be careful. It is most important that you shouldtake care of yourself at the present moment. What would happen to MissMcLeod if I carried you back to the house in a state of totalblindness?"
"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 veryexcellent reasons for supposing that it is hardly the place to spend aquiet afternoon."
"You don't really believe that there is anything curious about theriver itself, do you?" I asked. "We have agreed that some human agencyis responsible for the tragic affliction that has fallen upon poorMyra. In that case we are not safe anywhere."
"That's true enough," he agreed, "but everything that has happened sofar has happened here. Sooner or later, no doubt, the operations willbe extended to some other region, but at present we know there is apossibility of our being overcome by some strange peril between theChemist's Rock and Dead Man's Pool."
"Well, as we don't know how to deal with the danger when it doesarrive," I suggested, "suppose we see as much as we can from thebanks. I will go up the centre of the stream and report to you, if youlike, but you stay here."
"You'll do nothing of the sort," he cried. "I can't imagine what wecan possibly learn by standing on that rock, but if either of us goes,we go together, or I, in my capacity of bachelor unattached, goalone."
Naturally, I could only applaud such generous sentiments, and at thesame time refuse to countenance his proposal. So we sat among theheather, some distance above the bank, and awaited developments.
"It is four-twenty now," said my companion presently, looking at hiswatch. "If anything is going to happen it should happen soon."
"Don't you think it was mere coincidence that Myra's blindness and theGeneral's strange illusion occurred about this time? Why should thisgreen ray only be visible between four and five?"
"It hasn't really been visible at all," Garnesk pointed out. "MissMcLeod saw a green flash, and the General saw a green rock, which hadtaken upon itself the responsibilities of transportation. That's allwe know about the green ray, except the green veil that Miss McLeodtells 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 fourand five; I mean anything that you couldn't notice at any other timeof the day?"
"Nothing at all," I answered despondently; "it is pleasanter here thenthan at any other time--or was until we came under this mysteriousspell."
"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 itsrugged banks and great massive rocks, looked particularly beautiful asthe sun streamed full upon it, and I was immeasurably surprised whenGarnesk 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 ofbinoculars which I carried in my hand, he dashed up the slope to thefoot of a cliff that overhung the stream. I gazed after him for amoment in astonishment, and then set out in pursuit.
"Stop where you are, man!" he called to me as he turned, and saw metearing 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 hewould 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 toplay, although he had not had time to tell me what it was. But myastonishment increased as I watched him climb the rock, for when hearrived a few feet from the summit he sat down on a ledge and calmlylighted a cigarette!
"What is it all about?" I called to him, when I had fully recoveredfrom my surprise.
"I only wanted to have a look at the view," he laughed back, and putthe glasses to his eyes. First he examined the house, and then heturned his gaze in the direction of the sea. It was then that itdawned on me that he was looking for a yacht. This was the fatefulhour, and it had naturally struck him that the unknown yacht might bein 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. "Ishouldn't like to be on her in a storm."
We conversed fairly easily while he was on the cliff, for we were notmany yards apart, and I began to wonder when he was coming down again.
"Have you any objection to my joining you?" I asked presently, asthere seemed to be nothing for me to do below.
"Stop where you are for a bit, old man," he advised. "I shall be downin 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 herejoined me.
"Hi! Ewart!" he called presently, for my mind had already wandered tothat 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 strangesinging in my ears, my pulses quickened, my voice died away intonothing. I looked up at Garnesk; he was leaning perilously near theedge of the cliff waving to me. I saw his lips move, yet I heard nosound. My heart was thumping against my chest with audible beats. Ilooked round me in every direction. No, there was nothing strangehappening that the eye could see, yet here was I with a chokingpulsation in my throat. My temples too were throbbing like a couple ofsteam hammers. Again I looked up at Garnesk; he was climbing hurriedlydown 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 mystrength. This was nerves, sheer nerves. Garnesk must give me his armto the house. I would lie down and rest, and I should be all right ina few moments. It was nerves, that was all. But if Garnesk were notvery quick about it I should have burst a blood-vessel in my brainbefore he reached me. Already my chest seemed to have swelled totwice its size. Garnesk, as I looked, seemed to be farther off thanever, 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 aminute. But my friend must hurry. I collapsed on the rock and gaspedfor breath. I looked for Garnesk. Still he seemed to be as far away asever, and he scarcely seemed to be moving at all. I must tell him tobe quick. It was simply nerves, of course; but I mustn't let
them getthe better of me, or what would poor Myra do? I staggered to my feetto call to Garnesk.
"Hurry up; I'm not well." I framed the words in my brain, but no soundpassed my lips. I struggled for breath, and called again with all thepower I could muster. I could not hear myself speak. And then Iunderstood! My knees rocked beneath me, the river swirled round me, arowan tree rushed by me in a flash, and as I fell sprawling on my faceamong the heather a thousand hammers seemed to pound the hideoussickening truth into the heaving pulp that was once my brain.
The Mystery of the Green Ray Page 10
