It was a scene fascinating from its very excess of gloom and terror!

It was a valley so deep and dark as to merit the name of the hollow, or

hole, but for its great extent and its thick growth of forest, through

which spectral-looking rocks gleamed, and moaning waters could be heard

but not seen.

"Now, somewhere in that thick forest in the bottom of that vale, stands

the house--well called the Hidden House, since not a chimney of it can

be seen even from this commanding height! But I suppose this path that

leads down into the valley may conduct me to the building! Come along,

Gyp! You needn't turn up your head and pull at the bit! You've got to

go! I am bound this night to see the outside of the Hidden House, and

the window of the haunted chamber at the very least!" said Cap,

throwing her eyes up defiantly toward the darkening sky, and putting

whip to her unwilling horse.

As the path wound down into the valley the woods were found deeper,

thicker and darker. It occupied all Cap's faculties to push her way

through the overhanging and interlacing branches of the trees.

"Good gracious," she said, as she used her left arm rather vigorously

to push aside the obstructions to her path, "one would think this were

the enchanted forest containing the castle of the sleeping beauty, and

I was the knight destined to deliver her! I'm sure it wouldn't have

been more difficult."

Still deeper fell the path, thicker grew the forest and darker the way.

"Gyp, I'm under the impression that we shall have to turn back yet!"

said Cap, dolefully stopping in the midst of a thicket so dense that it

completely blockaded her farther progress in the same direction. Just

as she came to this very disagreeable conclusion she spied an opening

on her left, from which a bridle-path struck out. With an exclamation

of joy she immediately turned her horse's head and struck into it. This

path was very rocky, but in some degree clearer than the other, and she

went on quickly, singing to herself, until gradually her voice began to

be lost in the sound of many rushing waters.

"It must be the Devil's Punch Bowl! I am approaching!" she said to

herself, as she went on.

She was right. The roaring of the waters grew deafening and the path

became so rugged with jagged and irregularly piled rocks, that Cap

could scarcely keep her horse upon his feet in climbing over them. And

suddenly, when she least looked for it, the great natural

curiosity--the Devil's Punch Bowl--burst upon her view!




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