descent. The air in the cavity where my shell now rests is perfectly
good; I have tested it. The temperature is simply warm, and there is no
danger of quicksands or anything of that sort, for my shell still rests
as immovable as when I first saw it below the bottom of the shaft.

"As to the distance I should have to descend, when you come to consider
it, it is nothing. What is fourteen miles in a tunnel through a
mountain? Some of those on the Great Straightcut Pacific Railroad are
forty miles in length, and trains run backward and forward every day
without any one considering the danger; and yet there is really more
danger from one of those tunnels caving in than in my perpendicular
shaft, where caving in is almost impossible.

"As to the danger which attends so great a descent, I have thoroughly
provided against that. In fact, I do not see, if I carry out my plans,
how there could be any danger, more than constantly surrounds us, no
matter what we are doing. In the first place, we should not think of
that great depth. If a man fell down any one of the deep shafts in our
silver mines, he would be as thoroughly deprived of life as if he should
fall down my shaft. But to fall down mine--and I want you to consider
this, Margaret, and thoroughly understand it--would be almost
impossible. I have planned out all the machinery and appliances which
would be necessary, and I want to describe them to you, and then, I am
sure, you will see for yourself that the element of danger is more fully
eliminated than if I should row you on the lake in a little boat."

She sat quiet, still pale, still listening, her eyes fixed upon him.

"I have devised a car," he said, "in which I can sit comfortably and
smoke my cigar while I make the descent. This, at the easy and steady
rate at which my engines would move, would occupy less than three hours.
I could go a good deal faster if I wanted to, but this would be fast
enough. Think of that--fourteen miles in three hours! It would be
considered very slow and easy travelling on the surface of the earth.
This car would be suspended by a double chain of the very best toughened
steel, which would be strong enough to hold ten cars the weight of mine.
The windlass would be moved by an electric engine of sufficient power
to do twenty times the work I should require of it, but in order to make
everything what might be called super-safe, there would be attached to
the car another double chain, similar