Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
Givemebetterhealthandalittlespateofenergy,andIshalltryconclusionswithhimyet.Butwhoandwhatishe?Ah!thereisthequestionwhichstandsbetweenmeandmysleep.HowmanytheoriesdoIform,onlytodiscardeachinturn!Itisallsoutterlyunthinkable.Andyetthecry,thefootmark,thetreadinthecavern—noreasoningcangetpasttheseIthinkoftheold-worldlegendsofdragonsandofothermonsters.Werethey,perhaps,notsuchfairy-talesaswehavethought?Canitbethatthereissomefactwhichunderliesthem,andamI,ofallmortals,theonewhoischosentoexposeit?
May3.—ForseveraldaysIhavebeenlaidupbythevagariesofanEnglishspring,andduringthosedaystherehavebeendevelopments,thetrueandsinistermeaningofwhichnoonecanappreciatesavemyself.Imaysaythatwehavehadcloudyandmoonlessnightsoflate,whichaccordingtomyinformationweretheseasonsuponwhichsheepdisappeared.Well,sheephavedisappeared.TwoofMissAllerton’s,oneofoldPearson’softheCatWalk,andoneofMrs.Moulton’s.Fourinallduringthreenights.Notraceisleftofthematall,andthecountrysideisbuzzingwithrumoursofgipsiesandofsheep-stealers.
Butthereissomethingmoreseriousthanthat.YoungArmitagehasdisappearedalso.HelefthismoorlandcottageearlyonWednesdaynightandhasneverbeenheardofsince.Hewasanunattachedman,sothereislesssensationthanwouldotherwisebethecase.
