AUGUST 7, 1861

He had heard Jewel talking to herself out in the woods. She was enraged, more so about Daniel for he was the one who had told Lee that she was pregnant. If she hadn't known, then Jewel would have been married to Jimmy by now. He was glad that she wasn't, but she didn't have to be hated by the people in town. He felt sorry for her, and he would help her. She had said that she wished Daniel, Serena and Meg were dead. So he would make that happen. He knew the doctor's routine. He would set a trap for him.

Daniel was on his way out to see Meg and her children. It was his routine visit. He went every other day to have lunch with his daughter and to check on his grandchildren. But this day was not like any other day, this day Daniel saw two people on the side of the road. They were seated at a little table with their wagon next to them. Daniel was curious as to what they were doing, so he decided to stop and say hello. As Daniel approached, the man and woman turned and smiled at him.

"Hello," Daniel said as he pulled his horse up in front of them.

"Hello," the man and lady said simultaneously.

"Why are you sitting here? Don't you know that there's a town not much farther to the east?" Daniel inquired.

"No, we didn't know that." The man replied.

"He's trying to convince me that he can hypnotize me, but I don't believe him." The young lady stated.

"Hypnotize?" Daniel repeated.

"Yes sir, I can hypnotize people, but she doesn't believe me."

"I don't believe him, do you?" The lady batted her eyes at Daniel. "He's lying isn't he. He can't do it."

"Well, I'd show you if I could, but there's no one around here to hypnotize."

"What about him?" She flashed her charming smile at Daniel.

"Me? Oh no, I don't think so." Daniel didn't believe that he could be hypnotized, but he didn't think he wanted the man to try it on him.

"Don't tell me that you believe him? That you think he could really hypnotize someone and make them do whatever he told them to do?" The lady pressed him for an answer.

"No, I don't think he can do it." Daniel finally answered.

"Then if you don't believe that he can hypnotize you then what are you afraid of? Let him try to do it and prove him wrong." She said.

"I'm not afraid. I'm on my way to my daughter's home, and she's expecting me." Daniel said.

"It won't take but a few minutes, not even that long if it doesn't work." The man said.

Well Daniel didn't believe in hypnotism, and he didn't want them to think he was a coward. Besides since he didn't believe in it, surely nothing would happen. So Daniel stepped down off his horse and came over to the table. The red head got up and let him have her seat. He sat down, and the man pulled out his pocketwatch. He began to swing it back and forth. Soon Daniel was getting drowsy. Several times he tried not to nod off and succeeded barely. The man started humming softly and soon Daniel was asleep.

"Daniel if you can hear me, bark, bark like a dog." The man said.

"Ruff," Daniel answered.

The man smiled. He was pleased that it had work. He had only done it successfully a few times. He put Daniel through several routines such as sitting and standing, and he even had Daniel kiss the girl. After he was satisfied that Daniel was really hypnotized, he told Daniel several things that he wanted him to do. After the man was sure that Daniel had all of his instructions memorized, he decided to wake him up. "Now Daniel once I clap my hands, you will awake and not remember that you were ever hypnotized. Do you understand? If you do, nod your head." Daniel nodded his head. There was a sharp clap, and Daniel awoke.

Daniel looked at the man and asked him when he was going to start. Playing her part, the girl replied. "He already tried. And he failed miserably. See I told you that you couldn't do it." She shook her head.

Daniel shrugged. "I told you it wouldn't. Well, I better be going." Daniel said goodbye to them and started on his way again to his daughter's house.

The man paid off the girl for doing her part after making sure that she would keep this incident a secret. She stuffed the money down her blouse, fetched her horse and headed north. The man loaded up the wagon and headed west. He had to return the wagon from where he had borrowed it.