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I seized his wrists and stood up, dragging hi doll I put one of my arms round his waist and held his other arm across my shoulder It ard, for I was substantially taller than he was "Walk, Caulder!" I yelled in his ear, and hewithsquare toward the cabstands Soiant strides, but his words made no sense

The Great Square proved its size to ht We were jostled forward so croho could not or would not give way to us We were forced to go around one roped-off area where couples were dancing Theof the masked people, and some of them lookedtheir ar at all, a gushing spew that very narrowly missed a fine lady’s skirts I held hirateful only that the lady’s escort hurried her away instead of challenging ed hie of one of the frozen fountains; I wished in vain for water I took my da nose as best I could, and then threw it away "Caulder! Caulder, open your eyes You’ve got to get up and walk I can’t drag you all the way home"

But in reply he only shook His face was pale, and his skin re hi heap like an abandoned pile of laundry To this day, I do not knohat o back for hi I felt only ani brat, and yet I could not leave hi he deserved I went back

I gave up trying to walk him I lifted him across my shoulders as if he were a wounded h the crowd It was a better solution, for ot out of the way When I finally reached the cabstand, there was a long queue The streets were still choked with pedestrians and so the as tripled as cabs struggled to reach the curb to disgorge the passengers they had and to take on new ones

When finally it reached our turn, the cabbie demanded his money up front before he would even open a door for us I stood there, turningI heartily wished I had kept the iven the fathiold piece, and our cabbie immediately jumped down and opened the door for thery protests, he re to force his team out into the crowded street

Fate intervened then or I do not knoould have becoe pulled into the spot left open by our departing cab The driver jumped down and opened the door to let a fine couple out The man wore a tall silk hat and escorted a wo fur cape Shein dismay and he said, "I a us We shall have to walk to General Scoren’s house fronized Dr Amicas from the Acadeht he had tended Gord I think my Academy overcoat drew his eye, for as he passed he looked at ust, "Oh, for the od! Who let that silly whelp run loose on a night like this?"

He didn’t expect an answer and I gave hiht beside nize me, for I did not wish to be connected to Caulder’s misfortune His wife’s face was full of dismay at the delay Dr Amicas spoke to me harshly "Get him horeat fool! He’s far colder than he should be! How er, and I’ve seencadet die of too much to drink in too little tihtened e, Dr Aht he would strike ry Then he reached into his pocket with one hand as he grabbed the sleeve of his departing driver’s coat with the other "Here, cab’s Cavalla Acadeht to Colonel Stiet’s door, do you hear me? Nowhere else, no matter what they say" He pushed the money into the man’s hand and then the doctor turned on me