New Britain herald., 1922-07-12
How Madge Was Forced to Face the Mysterious Stranger.

There's no use looking around here any longer, Margaret, I ought to have known better than to waste my time coming to any store In this section Never ask me 10 come with you again. Please wrap up three yards Of that, and give me two spools of black silk No. 6o."
 My mother-in-law interrupted her tirade to give the direction to the saleswoman, Then she resumed 1t with different grievance,
 And for mercy sakes, do go on out ahead and start that car, so that won't have to sit around waiting for it to go You won't more than get 1t to going before ] get out there"
 "Oh Let us wait until" l began. But changed my sentence quickly at the astonshed look on my mother-in- laws face. I'd like to look at some Of these draperies first" I stammered, snatching at any chance to remain in the rear of the store until the people in the front should have departed.
 Not that would have fingered one instant because of the underbred curi- osity of the Smythe- Hopkins group. hattered myself that I possessed suffi- cient boise to carry me ignoringly past them. But I was really panic stricken at the possibility of the man whom they called Don Ramon Almirez ac- costing me and recalling my meeting with him on the train. l could vis- ualze Mother Graham's reaction 10 such a meeting and l had a vivid idea of the caustic catechism to which I should be subjected on the way home
 A Strong Impression.
 had another reason--or rather in- stinct-for not wishing to encounter the gaze of the mysterious Don Ramon, who, I was convinced by this time was no more foreign than I. The impression was strong upon me by this time that If l could only look beneath the mask afforded by the white moustache and vandyke beard and the dishguring lenses of the glasses, should see face l knew. It troubled me that I could not clarify my impression, though I am aware that in spite of my really unusual y distinct dumb dud," when it comes to penetrating even a simple disguise. But my mother-in-law is as clever in that direction as I am stupid, and she already had received the impress sion that the mysterious stranger re- minded her of someone whom she had seen, I found myself dreading closer scrutiny on her part, and l realized that back of this dread was fear that she would penetrate the mask which baffled me Just why | feared her recognition I could no more have told than I could explain the reason why the strangers bizarre per sonality half-fascinated, half-repelled me. Mother Grahams quick retort, how ever told me that by lingering l was courting the very danger I feared
 "Is That His Game?" What's the matter with you?' She demanded in a low tone, moving close to me. You needn't hand out any excuse about draperies to me. There's some other reason you don't want to go now"
 What nonsense :" said with as
 
 much sprightliness as I could force into my voice. And, If you're in a hurry, I can run over and look at the draperies another time. I'll start the car right away Come Junior"
 l took my small son by the hand and walked steadily toward the door. forcing myself to cast just the sort of casual glance toward the group stand ing near it that one ordinarily would give. And with the look I realized that l would not be troubled by any inspection, amused or otherwise, from the three people accompanying the mysterious Don Ramon Almirez
 Three pairs of eyes were fixed upon his face as he chatted to them in his rather fiamboyant manner. So l seized the opportunity--in Dicky's atrocious but apt slang-to give them the once over,' as suiting my