Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
Thepopularexplanationisthatheowesmoney,andhasfoundasituationinsomeotherpartofthecountry,whencehewillpresentlywriteforhisbelongings.ButIhavegravemisgivings.Isitnotmuchmorelikelythattherecenttragedyofthesheephascausedhimtotakesomestepswhichmayhaveendedinhisowndestruction?Hemay,forexample,havelaininwaitforthecreatureandbeencarriedoffbyitintotherecessesofthemountains.WhataninconceivablefateforacivilizedEnglishmanofthetwentiethcentury!AndyetIfeelthatitispossibleandevenprobable.Butinthatcase,howfaramIanswerablebothforhisdeathandforanyothermishapwhichmayoccur?SurelywiththeknowledgeIalreadypossessitmustbemydutytoseethatsomethingisdone,orifnecessarytodoitmyself.Itmustbethelatter,forthismorningIwentdowntothelocalpolice-stationandtoldmystory.Theinspectorentereditallinalargebookandbowedmeoutwithcommendablegravity,butIheardaburstoflaughterbeforeIhadgotdownhisgardenpath.Nodoubthewasrecountingmyadventuretohisfamily.
June10.—Iamwritingthis,proppedupinbed,sixweeksaftermylastentryinthisjournal.Ihavegonethroughaterribleshockbothtomindandbody,arisingfromsuchanexperienceashasseldombefallenahumanbeingbefore.ButIhaveattainedmyend.ThedangerfromtheTerrorwhichdwellsintheBlueJohnGaphaspassednevertoreturn.ThusmuchatleastI,abrokeninvalid,havedoneforthecommongood.LetmenowrecountwhatoccurredasclearlyasImay.
