der me rude if I
asked your name and who taught you to dance?"

"Oh! no," she replied; "my name is Bessie Chisholm. I teach the dancing
school at Eastborough Centre, and Mr. Stiles always plays for me."

"Is he going to see you home to-night?" asked Quincy.

"Oh! no," said she; "I came with my brother. Here, Sylvester," cried
she, and a smart-looking, country fellow, apparently about twenty-one
years of age, came towards them. "I'm ready," said Bessie to him, and
then, turning to Quincy, "Mr. Sawyer, make you acquainted with my
brother, Sylvester Chisholm."

"Ah, you know my name," said Quincy.

"I guess everybody in Eastborough knows who you are," retorted she with
a toss of her head, as she took her brother's arm and walked away.

Hiram had brought 'round the Pettengill sleigh from the barn. 'Zekiel,
Alice, Quincy, and Mandy were the last of the party to leave. Quincy
took his old place beside Alice, while Mandy sat on the front seat with
'Zekiel.

It was a beautiful moonlight night and the ride home was a most
enjoyable one.

"I am sorry," said Quincy to Alice, "that you could not take part in
more of the games. I enjoyed them very much."

"Oh, Mrs. Mason kept me informed of your actions," said Alice with a
laugh.

Halfway to Hill's grocery they passed the Professor and Abner walking
home to Mrs. Hawkins's boarding house. They called out, "Good night and
pleasant dreams," and drove rapidly on. In the Square a number of the
party had stopped to say good night again before taking the various
roads that diverged from it, and another interchange of "Good nights"
followed.

When Strout and Abner reached the Square it was deserted. There was no
light shining in the boarding house. The kerosene lamps and matches were
on a table in the front entry. Strout lighted his lamp and went
upstairs. Strout's room was one flight up, while Abner's was up two. As
they reached Strout's room he said, "Come in, Abner, and warm up. Comin'
out of that hot room into this cold air has given me a chill." He went
to a closet and brought out a bottle, a small pitcher, and a couple of
spoons. "Have some rum and molasses, nothin' better for a cold."

They mixed their drinks in a couple of tumblers, which Strout found in
the closet. Then he took a couple of cigars from his pocket and gave one
to Abner. They drank and smoked for some time in silence.

At last Abner said, "How are you satisfied with this evenin's
perceedin's?"

"Wal