The circular car which was intended to move up and down the shaft, and
the peculiar machinery connected with it, together with the hoisting
apparatus, were all made in his works. His skilled artisans labored
steadily day and night.

It was ten days before he was ready to make his descent. Margaret was
still at the seashore. They had written to each other frequently, but
neither had made mention of the great shaft. Even when he was ready to
go down, Clewe said nothing to any one of an immediate intention of
descending. There was a massive door which covered the mouth of the pit;
this he ordered locked and went away.

The next morning he walked into the building a little earlier than was
his custom, called for the engineers, and for Bryce, who was to take
charge of everything connected with the descent, and announced that he
was going down that day.

Bryce and the men who were to assist him looked very serious at this.
Indeed, if their employer had been any other man than Roland Clewe, it
is possible they might have remonstrated with him; but they knew him,
and they said and did nothing more than what was their duty.

The door of the shaft was removed, the car which had hung high above it
was lowered to the mouth of the opening, and Roland stepped within it
and seated himself. Above him and around him were placed [v]geological
tools and instruments of many kinds, a lantern, food, and
drink--everything, in fact, which he could possibly be presumed to need
upon this extraordinary journey. A telephone was at his side by which he
could communicate at any time with the surface of the earth. There were
electric bells; there was everything to make his expedition safe and
profitable. Finally he gave the word to start the engines; there were no
ceremonies, and nothing was said out of the common.

When the conical top of the car had descended below the surface, a steel
grating, with holes for the passage of the chains, was let down over the
mouth of the shaft, and the downward journey began. In the floor of the
car were grated openings, through which Clewe could look downward; but,
although the shaft below him was brilliantly illuminated by electric
lights placed beneath the car, it failed to frighten him or make him
dizzy to look down, for the [v]aperture did not appear to be very far
below him. The upper part of the car was partially open, and bright
lights shone upon the sides of the shaft.

As he slowly descended, Clewe