your place in the
interim?"

"Waskoff is fully competent, sir."

"Very well, then; I will appoint him to fill your place for a year,"
replied the governor, writing the order.

"Thanks, your Excellency. And may I take a servant along with me, for I
am not able to travel so far alone."

"Yes; but on arriving at St. Petersburg, report the fact and the
servant's number to the Prefect of Police."

"I shall obey you, sir."

"When do you propose to set out?"

"By the next convoy."

"Very well, but let me see you again before you start, for I have
several private commissions which I wish you to undertake for me."

"With the greatest pleasure, Excellency."

"And I trust you will return in better health, and well rested."

"I hope so, sir," replied Kanoffsky, bowing himself from the room.

He was indeed a changed man, and the governor did not fail to notice it,
as did others who noticed him.

Some of the old hospital inmates whom he had abused at various times, as
he had the dead Batavsky, said among themselves that the spirits of his
dead victims were haunting him, which was pretty nearly the truth.

And to get away from them was, now that he had received leave of
absence, what now urged him in the preparations.

He dared not encounter those horrible dreams again.

CHAPTER XI.

KANOFFSKIE AND HIS SERVANT.

"Barnwell, come here," said the miserable surgeon. "I have obtained
leave of absence, and shall set out for St. Petersburg at once, taking
with me a servant. Now make haste with my packing."

"Going to take a servant with you?" asked the young American, anxiously.

"Yes."

"Oh, will you take me?"

"Yes, I shall take you. But why do you manifest so much anxiety?"

"Well, sir, I think it only natural that I should do so. I abhor this
place, as you must know, and even a temporary change would be agreeable,
and make me more reconciled to my fate when I return with you."

"But I may not return at all."

"And, Providence keeping me, I will not," thought Barnwell.

"If I can get the ear of the Czar, and his favor, I shall never return
to this accursed place," said Kanoffskie, shuddering.

"I do not blame you for not wishing to."

"But on arriving at St. Petersburg I must report to the Prefect of
Police, and procure a permit from him to retain a convict as my
servant."

"Yes."

"Your number and personal description will have to agree with your
sentence and commitment, and ever after that, whi