I was murdherin' a man; murdherin' the"--he paused, and stared wildly
about him.

"Murdherin' who?" asked Jerry.

"Murdherin'! eh--ha--why, who talks about murdherin'?"

"Compose yourself," added Sullivan; "you did; but you're frightened. You
say you thought you were murdherin' some one; who was it?"

"Yes, yesr" he replied; "it was myself. I thought the murdhered man
was--I mean, that the man was murdherin' myself." And he looked with a
terrible shudder of fear towards the great coat.

"Hut," said Sullivan, "it was only a drame; compose yourself; why
should you be alarmed?--your hand is free of it. So, as I said, compose
yourself; put your trust in God, an' recommend yourself to his care."

"It was a terrible drame," said the other, once more shuddering; "but
then it was a drame. Good God; yes! However, I ax pardon for disturbin'
you all, an' breaking in upon your sleep. Go to bed now; I'm well
enough; only jist set that bit of candle by the bed-side for awhile,
till I recover, for I did get a fearful fright."

He then laid himself down once more, and having wiped the perspiration
from his forehead, which was now cadaverous, he bade them good night,
and again endeavored to compose himself to rest. In this he eventually
succeeded, the candle burning itself out; and in about three-quarters
of an hour the whole family were once more wrapped in sound and
uninterrupted repose.