no
God for that accursed part of the universe.

Majestically, slowly, silently ever, the orbs increased. Two strips of
the sky could be seen constantly changing positions, but always opposite
to each other. These were the gaps, fast narrowing, which were to be
filled up by the swelling worlds before her destruction was
accomplished. Her long familiarity with the movements of this stupendous
enginery of death enabled her to calculate to a nicety when the crash
would come. She lay like the bound victim under the guillotine, watching
fer the axe to descend.

The blackness of darkness above and beneath and around her ... a
suffocating compression of the stagnant air ... a thrilling
consciousness of the close approach of the two cruel orbs.... a
superlative stillness ... and then a mighty attrition, in which the
mortal part of the poor girl was about to be ground to atoms, when she
... awoke.

She threw back the heavy blankets that oppressed her chest, as if
_they_ were the crushing danger. She looked overhead, expecting to see a
whirling globe within a foot of her face. But she saw only the ceiling,
made visible by the pallid light of the room. Then she knew that she was
in her own little room, and that this frightful adventure was only the
old, old dream, that came to her two or three times a year, as far back
as she could remember--the same always, without addition or curtailment.

CHAPTER IV.

A VISION OF HORRORS.

Little Pet was not the least superstitious; because her father had
taught her from infancy to pay no heed to dreams or signs; and because
he had allowed no housemaid or fussy old woman to inoculate his young
daughter with her own senseless and cowardly fears. Pet smiled at the
momentary terror which the strange old dream had caused, closed her
eyes, and addressed herself again to sleep. But, first, she drew up the
weighty blankets over her little frame, as her father had told her to
do. She had already found out by experience, that a hot application of
blankets was the best remedy for a young cold.

A low murmur, as of conversation, came from the adjoining room. Then she
remembered that Mr. Wilkeson was there when she had come to bed. She
said to herself: "It cannot be late; for he never stops after ten
o'clock." Then she began to think of some matters which had recently
perplexed and distressed her greatly. But she was so sleepy, that the
thoughts came into her little head confusedly, and, severa