"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."
"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.