As I looked from the back porch I saw that the
ground still continued to slope, so that if my house had not found in
its path another building, it would probably have proceeded somewhat
farther on its course. It was lighter, and I saw bushes and fences and
outbuildings--I was in a back yard.

Almost breathless with amazement and consternation, I ran again to the
front door. When I reached it I found a young woman standing on the
porch of the house before me. I was about to say something--I know not
what--when she put her finger on her lips and stepped forward.

"Please don't speak loudly," she said. "I am afraid it will frighten
mother. She is asleep yet. I suppose you and your house have been
sliding downhill?"

"That is what has happened," said I. "But I cannot understand it. It
seems to me the most amazing thing that ever took place on the face of
the earth."

"It is very queer," said she, "but hurricanes do blow away houses, and
that must have been a hurricane we had last night, for the wind was
strong enough to loosen any house. I have often wondered if that house
would ever slide downhill."

"My house?"

"Yes," she said. "Soon after it was built I began to think what a nice
clean sweep it could make from the place where it seemed to be stuck to
the side of the mountain, right down here into the valley."

I could not talk with a girl like this; at least, I could not meet her
on her own conversational grounds. I was so agitated myself that it
seemed unnatural that any one to whom I should speak should not also be
agitated.

"Who are you?" I asked rather brusquely. "At least, to whom does this
house belong?"

"This is my mother's house," said she. "My mother is Mrs. Carson. We
happen just now to be living here by ourselves, so I cannot call on any
man to help you do anything. My brother has always lived with us, but
last week he went away."

"You don't seem to be a bit astonished at what has happened," said I.

She was rather a pretty girl, of a cheerful disposition, I should say,
for several times she had smiled as she spoke.

"Oh, I am astonished," she answered; "or, at least, I was. But I have
had time enough to get over some of it. It was at least an hour ago
when I was awakened by hearing something crack in the yard. I went to
a window and looked out, and could just barely see that something like
a big building had grown up during the night. Then I watched it, and
watched it,