Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1937-12-31
CHAPTER 4

Miguel was aDSCrdcCeu anu SAi0 We"
moved. Ramon had definitely refused
to modify his plans of having dinner
at the Micks'. Of course he'd be at
the Casa Christmas for dinner, but
Mrs. Bautizo pointed out to him that
It was a local custom for all the Amer
leans to be there for Chistmas Eve
dinner, too. Ramon accepted that IN
good part. lawfully sorry" he said
conclusively and Mrs. Bautizo was left
entirely HELPLESS. 1t was sensation
she abhorred.
81 don't like the way Ramon runs
uu to the Micks' all the time" she OBJ
served so decidedly that young Mig
uel dropped the match he was about
to strike.
"Your father won't thank you for
getting Ramon inton anything OF this
sort. You don't know girls, my dear"
That was quite true, but young
Miguel tried to overlook that, too.
"Oh, no." he said, nothing like that,
I'm sure" None the less, he was pain
fully aware that Consuelo was about
to outmaneuver him.
"Well," he said desperately, my
fathers coming here Christmas night,
you know"
Mrs. Bautizo sat up straight. "Of
course I didn't" she said. "Why
didn't YOU tell me?"
Young Miguel produced a code tele-
gram and held it out to her. ut just
got here before supper"
whats he going to do?"
Look around, suppose. You can
tell him about Ramon, if you want"
Il shall tell him." she promised.
"You know, among other things, it's
not fair to the girl"
What isn't ?" asked Miguel.
Letting her get fond of him when
there can't possibly be anything in il"
"What makes you think she is fond
of him?" asked Miguel.
my dear, he's quite good looking.
You leave this to me, I'll take care of
it."
She thought about the Micks mo-
ment. wasn't that a peculiar thing
about Ruth's father and that poor
Martinez man who got shot," she said
"Not very," said Miguel. cts the
law, you know. A minute later and we
might have been in a bad fix, if the
fire had started again."
"I wonder" said Mrs. Bautizo
thoughtfully, chow he could be so sure
what the man was really going to do
"It's fairly easy to tell when a man
does such thing. It seems Incredible
his starting fire." pointed out Miguel
"You know" said Mrs. Bautizo PEN
sively, "that people say Mr.. Micks and
Martinez were on very bad terms"
"They ought to have been," retorted
Miguel feebly. Martinez was bad
Sort"
"You know, Mr.. Micks drinks so
much, and goes around with such cur
ious people,"
Hes probably the best man riding
the cane in Cuba" said her husband.
Mr.. Britton, sitting down for dinner,
was far more concerned than any one
could have guessed over the break be-
tween Nortz ard Mary Fletcher. His
fondness for the Micks and the Fetch
ers made him anxious about what
might happen if some unrelated diff
ficulty like this should break up the
firm Micks-Fletcher alliance.
Maurice doesn't look WE'LL he OBJ
served blandly. "This gay life at the
Micks' hasn't helped him any,"
"No, he DOESN'T" agreed Mr.. Fetch
er. "Sort of worried about him."
"He seems to enjoy it," said Mrs.
Fletcher precisely.
ooh, don't think it's anything like
that" said Mrs. Fletcher. It was vag-
ne, but distinctly acid. "That isn't
why he goes up there"
"He goes there because he's got a
crush on Ruth" supplied Edith with
scornful hostility. "Just as if Ruth
would pay any attention to him. My
goodness, think of old fat Mr.. Nortz."
Every one turned. "That will do
from you, young lady," said Mr..
Fletcher.
The conversation was abruptly
switched. "You know Hilario Ruiz
don't you, Roy?" asked Britton.
"That boy of old Pepe's who went to
Habana?"
eyes. Did I tell you he was work
ing for the bank? Ian spoke to me
about it. I've had him on about a
month. He's doing fine"
"That's good" Roy Fletcher was
pleased. cts sort of funny about old
Pepe."
"What is?"
81 don't know" admitted Mr.. Fletch