The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-19
Chapter 81
old Sour Puss'

knew something of cows. He
could strip" them, and he could
watch the mixer in one barn.
Constance could watch another
and keep records for the three
barns, watch the milk troughs
and, by using Pancho, could see
that the lone sober man on the
ranch didn't fall asleep and let
the cans overflow at the depot.
II was nine o'clock when Lam
SON, donning his coat and hat,
saw Constance riding back to the
barns. Lamson was in high feather.
He had stripped. He had mixed
feed. He had tossed hay. He had
sung GOO bossy" to his hearts
content.
Constance, disheveled. angry
and distressed, found Pedro wait
ing with him.
you're right in one thing"
Pedro. conceded. "You can trust
this man. He's worth a dozen Ca
brillos."
Lamson smiled happily as Pc
dro rode off. "A fine young man,
Conchita," he murmured. ''H'about
those keys. Juliano took them
from your desk for Master Don.
HI took the liberty of telling Mis-
ter Taylor"
They rode quietly back to the
ranch house. Constance was
thinking. This is foretaste."
She thought: worth a dozen Ca
brillos." She was a Cabrillo, but
so was Donna.
The weird whistle of a work
train in the hills of FL Cabrillo
echoed and re- h o d. She
thought: Saturday Donna will
ride train: ride through the rib
bon barrier of FL Cabrillo; Donna
who cares nothing for FL Cabrillo.
Why? What's wrong with me?"
She arrived at the ranch to find
Don already in his car
Hi. Connie, I'm on NY way to
Beachport. anything you want
there?"
She shook her head. mo. But
] want the keys to the wine cellar
and don't want them taken from
my desk without my permission"
And she told him what had &C.
Cured.
Don looked at her angrily.
"Who in the devil owns this
placer" he demanded. "Those
keys belong to mother and Donna
and me as much as they do to
you, remember that. And those
1~naR. a~a x~n..rh ..~Ior ~,,x.
rection as yours"
They are under the manager"
Constance reminded him.
We'll see." retorted Don. ''Tm
going to need those musicians
over the week end. so IL you have
any of the poor devils milking
cows, find someone to take their
places. I'm off to buy a station
wagon and get some lights in this
place.
Don" Constance cried. I'VE
can't afford lights and and
station wagons"
"You can't" Don corrected.
"Old sour puss." And he was off.
Constance sought her mother.
Mrs. Cabrillo was still in. bed
maribou Jacket, fire in the hearth.
and yellow sunshine streaming in
through the windows. all warm
ing and clarifying her.
"Chita. good morning." she
greeted Dear, I believe I'm go
ing to like it here"
Constance watched Juanita.
Jullano's granddaughter. come in
with tray. watched her rapt adj
miration of the sonora and UNI
derstood Nadine would have the
alteration necessary to her exist
ence.
Now child. tell mother all
about your farm. How are things
progressing? Are you going to in
crease our income this YEAR,"
Constance considered telling
her the truth. That they could NOT
expect 10 profit the first year.
Nadine would not understand.
simply because she wouldn't
listen.
Always Waiting
VOU may count on the usual
INCOME" she evaded. "And
things were going very we'll.
mother. until last night"
Carefully she explained what
the dereliction OF the employees
meant. Mother. YOU must insist
upon letting MIR, Taylor keep
those KEYS"
Constance. must yoa take that
toner Here these dear people
have looked forward to cur re-
turn for years: il is only natural
that they should want 10 cele-
brate."
Constance W ndered what
ether response she had expected.
She told then Of her conversation
with Don.
oh. chita." m6aned Mrs. Ca
brillo. ~Don't Fca see we must
keep Don eoatented7 And we
need hghtS We can't have guests
stumbling around in the dark. As
for the station wagon. how else
could We bring them from the
AIRPORT
Just remember. Constance,
THAI II you had net hsen so stub
G1ANA8 Es&&@A&6A &&2IA NCN14E&A
this ranch. this condition would
not have arisen you've worked 8
great hardship on everyone"
Constance went on 10 her room
with that last phrase ringiag in
her ears: "a great hardship on
everyone"
Slowly. as she changed 20 blue
Stacks. white shirt and scarlet
WAHOO DANCE At