have had, or may have hereafter, in
which there has been, and will be, no coincidence. It is merely a
happen-so, my dear sir."

"No--no, Barnwell. I cannot believe it. But I feel better now that he
has had a Christian burial, and you assure me that a holy prayer was
said over his dead body."

"Rest assured on that point, sir."

"But it was such a dreadful dream."

"So I grant you, sir."

"And happening just at the moment of old Batavsky's death!"

"As I said before, simply a coincidence."

"Oh, if I could only think so! Light the lamps."

"Yes, sir," and he at once proceeded to light a chandelier of oil-lamps.

The gloom of coming night had weighed upon him, but now that there was
light in the room, he felt better, and more composed, but still ill at
ease.

Finally he fell asleep, but it was long past midnight, and after he had
gone through with all sorts of mental misery, and then Barnwell ventured
to sleep himself.

But it was a wild sleep that came to him, for all that he had passed
through during the day had so wrought up his feelings that it was next
to impossible for him to sleep.

But both of them got gradually quieted down, and slept, one an honest
man, and the other a rascal, and for an hour or more they kept it up,
until Kanoffskie again fell into a nightmare.

Barnwell was awakened.

"Help! help! Take him away!" cried Kanoffskie, in his sleep. "No, no! do
not let him drag me down to that pit! I know it, I know it, but do not
let him drag me down! I repent!"

And much more he said that Barnwell was perforce obliged to listen to,
and of course he could not sleep.

But the night went on, and finally the doctor awoke.

He glared wildly around.

"Have you slept all night?" was the first question he asked, looking at
Barnwell.

"No, doctor; you kept me awake."

"In what way?"

"You were talking in your sleep, sir."

"Indeed; what did I say?"

"Your mind seemed to be on old Batavsky."

"Did I mention his name?"

"No, sir, not directly; but you recalled portions of your horrible
dream."

"Did I?" and he fell to musing.

Nothing further happened at this time, but the next day Kanoffskie
visited the governor, who was startled by his altered appearance, and at
once inquired the meaning of it.

"Your Excellency, I am not well. I am overworked, and have come to ask
you to grant me a year's leave of absence," replied Kanoffskie.

"You certainly do look ill, doctor, but who can fill