New Britain herald., 1922-07-20
The Way Harry Underwood Avoided
 a Distressing Meeting

Distressing Meeting
 Harry Underwoods voice, uttering the name. Lady Fair" which, to my annoyance, he invariably applies to me, held the impish. teasing note Of familiar-and irritating-m memory. That had not changed in the least, l decided
 I took a swift upward glance at him in order to reconcile the well- remembered tones with the bizarre disguise which his white hair, beard, mustachios and thick-lensed glasses afforded him. As did so, with a quick movement he removed the eye glasses, revealing his unforgetta ble brilliant black eyes, glinting with nocking merriment, and smiled gayly down at me. He replaced the glasses and spoke in the accents which he evidently had assumed as part of his role of distinguished foreigner
 The swoon, you think 1t is seri- ous?"
 The whole interlude-his furtive aside, his removing and replacing of the thick-lensed glasses. his formal query, had taken but a few seconds since my command to lay the girl who had fainted upon the grass. I was already kneeling beside her when he spoke the last words, and I made him no answer, for had seen her cautiously open her eyes halfway be- meath her thick and long eye-lashes and close them again when she saw me bending over her. Then she gave long sigh as if just arousing from unconsciousness, and moaned softly, but distinctly:
 "Where-Am-I?'
 Ramon, Ramon, where are you? ?"
 I averted my face quickly from hers, afraid that she would see the smile which I could not help giving both at her shamming and at the be- trayal her words were of the f7irta- tions attention which I guessed the perennially romantic MT. Underwood had paid her I made no effort to hide my amusement from the pseudo Don Ramon, however, and nlaliciously enjoyed the embarra ssment which even his usual audacity could not hide.
 I let him wriggle for a second or two before I asked denlurely;
 'Is your name Ramon? If so believe the lady is calling for you.'
 He came quickly to her side, took her hand, and tried his best to give his tone and words a distinctly pa ternal air.
 "Yes, yes, my child, am here. What can I do for you?''
 "Oh, Don - Ramon-where-a =? What has happened? Her voice l was just faint enough to be con- vincing. I mentally registered ap- plause at her clever acting.
 Nothing very much" he returned, | We have had little accident, but no one is hurt, except your driver has a little cut face. You tainted with the shock. Are you all right now?"
 help-me-up." The voice was stronger now, but the appeal was unmistakable.
 A Casual Warning.
 I guessed that behind the thick lensed glasses Harry Underwood had shot a resentful glance at the amuse- ment which did not try to hide, and I knew that he must be painfully con- scious of the ridiculous figure he was cutting.
 But he put his arm around the girls slender figure, still with the same assumption of parental solicit tude. At this moment Katie and my father appeared Their hands were laden with everything needful for first aid remedies, so I made up a mild restorative draught and put 1t into Harry Underwood's hand, My father, assisted by Katie attended to the cut face of the chauffeur, who was not so badly hurt as to be un- able to reply to the angry remarks of the taxi driver. Each man was blaming the other for the accident, and there hade fair to be more blood shed if their flow of insulting invec- tive was allowed to continue.
 Have her drink this" I said, and then I will take her up to the house. My friend, Mrs. Underwood, is there, and she is more used to emergencies of this sort than I
 had suspected that Lillian's rec reant husband did not know of her presence in the house, and spoke as l lid to warn him. My suspicion was confirmed, when. after the girl had taken the draught and between us we had helped her to her feet, the nasquerading MT Underwood put his hand electrically to his heart and said apologetically:
 "A thousand pardons, but I feel a taintness coming on. It is nothing,