William Ansley, who tells the story, receives word that his
Uncle Jim is dead in Peoria and goes at once to his uncle’s
home. Later, while gazing upon the body in a gray casket, he
hears himself say, as if against his own reason, “_He is not
dead—only sleeping._” Subsequent events indicate that this is
true. William, watching beside the body in the lonely house at
night, is visited by a number of terrifying apparitions. At
midnight he fears that the worst is yet to come.