Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
"YoucanimaginethatitwasnotlongbeforeIhadshakenthedustofCastletonfrommyfeetandreturnedtothefarm,cursingallunimaginativepedantswhocannotconceivethattheremaybethingsincreationwhichhaveneveryetchancedtocomeacrosstheirmole’svision.Afterall,nowthatIamcooler,IcanaffordtoadmitthatIhavebeennomoresympathetictoArmitagethanDr.Johnsonhasbeentome.
April27.WhenIwasastudentIhadthereputationofbeingamanofcourageandenterprise.Irememberthatwhentherewasaghost-huntatColtbridgeitwasIwhosatupinthehauntedhouse.Isitadvancingyears(afterall,Iamonlythirty-five),orisitthisphysicalmaladywhichhascauseddegeneration?CertainlymyheartquailswhenIthinkofthathorriblecaverninthehill,andthecertaintythatithassomemonstrousoccupant.WhatshallIdo?ThereisnotanhourinthedaythatIdonotdebatethequestion.IfIsaynothing,thenthemysteryremainsunsolved.IfIdosayanything,thenIhavethealternativeofmadalarmoverthewholecountryside,orofabsoluteincredulitywhichmayendinconsigningmetoanasylum.Onthewhole,Ithinkthatmybestcourseistowait,andtoprepareforsomeexpeditionwhichshallbemoredeliberateandbetterthoughtoutthanthelast.AsafirststepIhavebeentoCastletonandobtainedafewessentials—alargeacetylenelanternforonething,andagooddouble-barrelledsportingrifleforanother.ThelatterIhavehired,butIhaveboughtadozenheavygamecartridges,whichwouldbringdownarhinoceros.NowIamreadyformytroglodytefriend.
