We then returned to the dancing room, and the Doctor found no difficulty in getting the attention of the cross-eyed belle. By this time the boys were jealous, anyway, and would have nothing to do with her. About two o'clock in the morning the Doctor came to me and said: "Johnston, I am going to take this young lady home." "How far does she reside from here?" "About six miles." "Have you ordered a livery team?" "Not by a dang sight. Why should I? Can't I use our horse and buggy?" I replied that I thought not. "I think I can, I know I can, and I know I will. The half of that rig belongs to me. I have agreed to take her, and I must do it." "Well, I should think you had better be starting, if you are going with our horse, and expect to return before morning." "We will not start till the dance breaks up, Mr. Johnston," was his defiant answer. "Where am I to stay?" I asked, "What am I going to do while you are traveling six miles and back, with that old plug of a horse, after everybody has gone home?" "That, sir, is a matter of no concern to me; but that young lady must be taken home by _me to-night_, and no disappointment." Then he and the cross-eyed girl took their places for another quadrille. By this time I was not in the best of humor myself, and began to feel that the Doctor was getting the best of me. My first thought was to hitch up and drive home, leaving him in the lurch. But while considering the matter, my opportunity came; and I was not slow to take advantage of it. During the progress of the dance, when "Gents to the right and balance" was called, the Doctor left his cross-eyed partner to make the round of the set. I rushed up to her immediately and said as quickly as possible: "My dear Miss, you must not dance the Doctor so hard. He has fits, and is liable to fall over in one at any moment. Why, in driving along in a carriage he is liable to drop right out in the middle of the road, leaving the horse to go to destruction." "Thank you, thank you," she said. I then stepped back to await results. While talking with her, I noticed the Doctor eying me with suspicion, but my interview was so very short that he appeared relieved on my leaving her. By this time he came balancing around, with his plug hat on the back of his head, his spectacles hanging over his nose, and grasping his gold-headed cane about the center with his left hand, and still retaining in his right hand a soiled napkin which he had brought from the table and mistaken for his handkerchief, he came balancing up to his partner with a regular Highland-fling step, a most fascinating and bewitching smile on his countenance, and looked her straight in the face. She looked completely dumbfounded, seemed to have instantly lost interest in all worldly affairs, and stood stock still, staring cross-eyed at the Doctor, as if expecting to see him frothing and foaming at the mouth.