Mr. Jarney then took up his accumulation of letters, that had not been attended to for three days, and began dictating answers. He was so overcome by anxiety, dread and fear, that he had great difficulty in composing himself sufficiently to go through them all. Some he answered with a line, where a whole page would have been necessary before. Many he did not answer at all, being indifferent as to what became of them. He was nervous, agitated, and careless. After he had finished, although not very satisfactorily to John, who had been used to his methodical handling of his correspondence, and after John began to prepare to depart, he turned to him and said: "Mr. Winthrope, I am thinking of promoting you; would you like to go to New York?" "I should not care to leave you, Mr. Jarney, so agreeable have my connections been in this office; but if you desire me to make a change, and if I am capable, I shall go wherever I am sent," said John. "An assistant treasurer is wanted for the New York office; how would you like that?" "Well, Mr. Jarney, this comes as a greater surprise than when you gave me this position; but, however, I shall accept, if it is the wish of my superiors." "They want a man immediately for the place; but--I do not want to see you go away yet, though I want to see you get the place. You are capable, and deserving of it." "I would rather remain here; but if I am to go higher, I suppose I should go at once to wherever I am to go." "Another thing, Mr. Winthrope; you should not go while my daughter continues ill. Or--or--No, you shall remain here till she recovers. Some one else can fill the place till that time comes. It may seem strange for me to say so, her recovery may depend upon you remaining. It is only an hallucination of her mind, I know; but if her seeing you will do any good, I shall not forget it." "Do you believe it is an hallucination?" asked John. "Can be nothing else," he replied, gravely and reflectively. "You were the last one whom she saw and talked with while in her rational mind. The doctors say this is invariably true in all such cases--the impression of that person is indelibly left on the mind of the one afflicted, and remains there till recovery." "But Miss Barton was there also," returned John, in disputation of his theory. "That is true; but Miss Barton is with her all the time," he replied, as an argumentative fact. "It may be," said John, in a deeper quandary than ever. "Then I am to remain here?" "Yes--till her recovery, or--Be ready to go home with me an hour later today--five o'clock," said Mr. Jarney, as John left him.