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 rep