Pushing aside the others, never heeding them in his bitter sorrow, he burst into passionate sobs as he leaned over the corpse.

And none of them thought the worse of Val for it.
"Oh, Percival! how did it happen ?" The speaker was Dr.Ashton.Little less affected himself, he clasped the young man's hand in token of heartfelt sympathy.
"I cannot think _how_ it could have happened," replied Percival, when able to control his feelings sufficiently to speak.

"It seems awfully strange to me--mysteriously so." "If he found himself going wrong, why didn't he shout out ?" asked young Carteret, with a rueful face.

"I couldn't have helped hearing him." It was a question that was passing through the minds of all; was being whispered about.

How could it have happened?
The body presented the usual appearance of death from drowning; but close to the left temple was a wound, and the face was otherwise disfigured.