Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
Itwouldhavebeenveryagreeableifwecouldhavedoneso,butbusinessisbusiness.Besides,thetrainwasnowasmuchbeyondourcontrolsastheirs.
"Heceasedhowlingwhenthetrainrattledroundthecurveandtheysawtheblackmouthofthemineyawningbeforethem.Wehadremovedtheboardswhichhadcoveredit,andwehadclearedthesquareentrance.Therailshadformerlyrunveryclosetotheshaftfortheconvenienceofloadingthecoal,andwehadonlytoaddtwoorthreelengthsofrailinordertoleadtotheverybrinkoftheshaft.Infact,asthelengthswouldnotquitefit,ourlineprojectedaboutthreefeetovertheedge.Wesawthetwoheadsatthewindow:Caratalbelow,Gomezabove;buttheyhadbothbeenstrucksilentbywhattheysaw.Andyettheycouldnotwithdrawtheirheads.Thesightseemedtohaveparalysedthem.
"IhadwonderedhowthetrainrunningatagreatspeedwouldtakethepitintowhichIhadguidedit,andIwasmuchinterestedinwatchingit.Oneofmycolleaguesthoughtthatitwouldactuallyjumpit,andindeeditwasnotveryfarfromdoingso.Fortunately,however,itfellshort,andthebuffersoftheenginestrucktheotherlipoftheshaftwithatremendouscrash.Thefunnelflewoffintotheair.Thetender,carriages,andvanwereallsmashedupintoonejumble,which,withtheremainsoftheengine,chokedforaminuteorsothemouthofthepit.Thensomethinggavewayinthemiddle,andthewholemassofgreeniron,smokingcoals,brassfittings,wheels,wood-work,andcushionsallcrumbledtogetherandcrasheddownintothemine.
