UNDER THE MAPLES 



quarters of an inch in diameter, concealed by a 

 silken trap-door, an inch in its greatest diameter. 

 The under side of the door, a dull white, the col- 

 or of old ivory, is slightly convex, and its top 

 is a brownish gray to harmonize with its sur- 

 roundings, and slightly concave. Its edges are bev- 

 eled so that it fits into the flaring or beveled end 

 of the chamber with the utmost nicety. No joiner 

 could have done it better. A faint semicircular 

 raised line of clay as fine as a hair gave the only 

 clue. The whole effect, when the door was held 

 open, was of a pleasing secret suddenly revealed. 



Then we walked about the place, and, knowing 

 exactly what to look for, I gave my eyes another 

 chance, but they were slow to profit by it. My 

 guide detected one after another, and when I 

 failed, he would point them out to me. But pres- 

 ently I caught on, as they say, and began to find 

 them unaided. 



We often found the lord of the manor on duty as 

 doorkeeper, and in no mood to see strangers. He 

 held his door down by inserting his fangs in two fine 

 holes near the edge and bracing himself, or, rather, 

 herself (as, of course, it is the female), offered a de- 

 gree of resistance surprising in an insect. If one 

 persists with a needle, there is often danger of 

 breaking the door. But when one has made a crack 

 wide enough to allow one to see the spider, she lets 

 go her hold and rushes farther down in her burrow. 



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