Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
BeyondtheusualmorningcoughIhaveverylittlediscomfort,and,whatwiththefreshmilkandthehome-grownmutton,Ihaveeverychanceofputtingonweight.IthinkSaundersonwillbepleased.
ThetwoMissAllertonsarecharminglyquaintandkind,twodearlittlehard-workingoldmaids,whoarereadytolavishalltheheartwhichmighthavegoneouttohusbandandtochildrenuponaninvalidstranger.Truly,theoldmaidisamostusefulperson,oneofthereserveforcesofthecommunity.Theytalkofthesuperfluouswoman,butwhatwouldthepoorsuperfluousmandowithoutherkindlypresence?Bytheway,intheirsimplicitytheyveryquicklyletoutthereasonwhySaundersonrecommendedtheirfarm.TheProfessorrosefromtherankshimself,andIbelievethatinhisyouthhewasnotabovescaringcrowsintheseveryfields.
Itisamostlonelyspot,andthewalksarepicturesqueintheextreme.Thefarmconsistsofgrazinglandlyingatthebottomofanirregularvalley.Oneachsidearethefantasticlimestonehills,formedofrocksosoftthatyoucanbreakitawaywithyourhands.Allthiscountryishollow.Couldyoustrikeitwithsomegigantichammeritwouldboomlikeadrum,orpossiblycaveinaltogetherandexposesomehugesubterraneansea.Agreatseatheremustsurelybe,foronallsidesthestreamsrunintothemountainitself,nevertoreappear.Therearegapseverywhereamidtherocks,andwhenyoupassthroughthemyoufindyourselfingreatcaverns,whichwinddownintothebowelsoftheearth.
