New Britain herald., 1922-07-13
What Don Ramon Wanted Madge
 to Do

It took all the hrmness at my com smand to meet the situation which the sudden dash Of the mysterious Don Ramon Almire, toward the door of the shop brought 10 me That hls pretended paroyysm of coughing was but ruse. and that he meant to speak to me unda- its cover, I was very sure. and l was terrified lest the peo- pie with him, or worse still, my moth er-in-law, should detect his purpose.
 "oh Don Ramon :" The exclama- ton sounded from three voices as the people with him followed him solie- tously. But he waved them back, with choking:
 'Please-people with me disturb me. l shall be all right presently"
 But, you should" the pompous man began fussily, when his daugh- ter interrupted him.
 Do shut up, Dad" she said with the appalling disrespect of some mod ern children Cant you see he doesn't want us watching him cough and choke? You wouldn't like 1t your selt. Don't watch him"
 1 was guiding Junior through the door by this time, taking swift advan- tage of the delay in Don Ramon's progress caused by the fussy fathers interruption, But before I had reached the street, he was close be- clever pretended inadvertence and was apologzng, hat in hand:
 "A thousand pardons. Madame-ah, but you are the discreet person Lis ten, you must give this to your father from me-
 A Secret Message.
 He had stopped to the ground and now brough up in his hand a wona- ans dkerchief-which l realized he must have carried for just this encounter-and was holding 1t out to me as if because of his jostling had dropped it. Mechanically I put out my hand for it and felt it pressed into my hand with something else that rustled-paper I decided and then Don Ramon, lowing again. turned away.
 But something entirely outside my own volition brought low quick words of warning to my lips.
 Don't go back till we have gone" I murmured. She thinks she knows you"
 He uttered but one word
 "Ca-r-r-r-arn- -ba ,'' Then he walked rapidly toward the nearest drug store, as l clin bed into my car smiling even though my trepidation at the bur lesaue which he had put into the | melodramatic word.
 I guessed that the eyes behind the thick-lensed glasses were glear1ine sardonicaNy at me, and was sure of | 1t, when safe in the shelter of the 1 druggists doorway, he turned toward | the car, swept of his hat and made low bow and then put his finger on his lips with an air which made me | bite my lips to keep from laughing | outright.
 I turned my switch key and started the car, having first stuffed the hand kerchiet and the rustling paper en- closure deep into my bag. And then my mother-in-law and Marion came out of the door of the shop.
 Go on ahead, Marion, I heard Mother Graham say while she stopped and looked searchingly up and down the street.
 Madee Explains.
 I cast an involuntary glance toward the druggists door and was thankful indeed that I could see nothing of the mysterious Don Ramon. He must have gone to the back of the chem ist's shop. I decided, and drew breath of relief at this small advan- tage in the catechism I saw before me.
 Where did that jackanapes go?' my mother-in-law asked when Marion very prettily had assisted her into the tonneau where Junior was already en- sconced, and had then climbed in beside me.
 What iackanares?" I asked inno- gently, putting the gear in first, and moving slowly away from the curb where we were parked.
 Don't try to pull any wool over my eyes, Margaret :" my nother-in-l law tartly You know very well whom I mean, that Don-whatever he calls hinself-who went out right after you did. I saw him lowing and scraping like the educated chimpan- zee in the zoo" Well, he ought to have bowed and