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.