The Terror of Blue John Gap

           ThefollowingnarrativewasfoundamongthepapersofDr.JamesHardcastle,whodiedofphthisisonFebruary4th,1908,at36,UpperCoventryFlats,SouthKensington.Thosewhoknewhimbest,whilerefusingtoexpressanopinionuponthisparticularstatement,areunanimousinassertingthathewasamanofasoberandscientificturnofmind,absolutelydevoidofimagination,andmostunlikelytoinventanyabnormalseriesofevents.Thepaperwascontainedinanenvelope,whichwasdocketed,"AShortAccountoftheCircumstanceswhichoccurrednearMissAllerton’sFarminNorth-WestDerbyshireintheSpringofLastYear."Theenvelopewassealed,andontheothersidewaswritteninpencil—

           DEARSEATON,—

           "Itmayinterest,andperhapspainyou,toknowthattheincredulitywithwhichyoumetmystoryhaspreventedmefromeveropeningmymouthuponthesubjectagain.Ileavethisrecordaftermydeath,andperhapsstrangersmaybefoundtohavemoreconfidenceinmethanmyfriend."

           InquiryhasfailedtoelicitwhothisSeatonmayhavebeen.ImayaddthatthevisitofthedeceasedtoAllerton’sFarm,andthegeneralnatureofthealarmthere,apartfromhisparticularexplanation,havebeenabsolutelyestablished.WiththisforewordIappendhisaccountexactlyasheleftit.Itisintheformofadiary,someentriesinwhichhavebeenexpanded,whileafewhavebeenerased.

           April17.—AlreadyIfeelthebenefitofthiswonderfuluplandair.ThefarmoftheAllertonsliesfourteenhundredandtwentyfeetabovesea-level,soitmaywellbeabracingclimate.