, if there were any danger, it lay in the direction
of the Pit and I intended to be prepared.

Leaving the study, I went down to the back door, followed by Pepper.
Once outside, I took a quick survey of the surrounding gardens, and then
set off toward the Pit. On the way, I kept a sharp outlook, holding my
gun, handily. Pepper was running ahead, I noticed, without any apparent
hesitation. From this, I augured that there was no imminent danger to be
apprehended, and I stepped out more quickly in his wake. He had reached
the top of the Pit, now, and was nosing his way along the edge.

A minute later, I was beside him, looking down into the Pit. For a
moment, I could scarcely believe that it was the same place, so greatly
was it changed. The dark, wooded ravine of a fortnight ago, with a
foliage-hidden stream, running sluggishly, at the bottom, existed no
longer. Instead, my eyes showed me a ragged chasm, partly filled with a
gloomy lake of turbid water. All one side of the ravine was stripped of
underwood, showing the bare rock.

A little to my left, the side of the Pit appeared to have collapsed
altogether, forming a deep V-shaped cleft in the face of the rocky
cliff. This rift ran, from the upper edge of the ravine, nearly down to
the water, and penetrated into the Pit side, to a distance of some forty
feet. Its opening was, at least, six yards across; and, from this, it
seemed to taper into about two. But, what attracted my attention, more
than even the stupendous split itself, was a great hole, some distance
down the cleft, and right in the angle of the V. It was clearly defined,
and not unlike an arched doorway in shape; though, lying as it did in
the shadow, I could not see it very distinctly.

The opposite side of the Pit, still retained its verdure; but so torn
in places, and everywhere covered with dust and rubbish, that it was
hardly distinguishable as such.

My first impression, that there had been a land slip, was, I began to
see, not sufficient, of itself, to account for all the changes I
witnessed. And the water--? I turned, suddenly; for I had become aware
that, somewhere to my right, there was a noise of running water. I could
see nothing; but, now that my attention had been caught, I
distinguished, easily, that it came from somewhere at the East end
of the Pit.

Slowly, I made my way in that direction; the sound growing plainer as I
advanced, until in a little, I stood right above it. Even then, I c