The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-03
Chapter Is
From Dream To Reality

DEDRO wasn't around when
L Constance reached Ell Cabrillo,
but Meg came down to say he'd
be there the first thing in the
morning to take her for tour of
the ranch.
Hell need respite" she added
modify. "The doctor cracked Big
Pete's she'll today, and the divil
himself would run for hiding.
You'd be thinking he'd grown
love for that cast, the way he
took on.
THAT and other things is both
erin him." she concluded.
Constance knew, and felt
twinge of sympathy for Peter
Taylor, senior. But after all, she
reasoned, the Cabri]los had owned
the land first.
That night the weat her
changed. and when Pedro rode
up with the horse the next morn
ing, the sky was overcast, the
hills blue with the promise of
rain.
Il want to get back in time to
make the six o'clock cut of Beach
port" Constance told him,
so soon?" asked Pedro, and
Constance thought he appeared
startled.
Il took only three days leave;
I'll be three or four days overdue
as it is"
And having told him this much,
she told him of her work.
For a long time afterwards he
rode in silence and then he turned
to her and smiled. We'll, now it's
up TO Ell Cabrillo."
What is up to the ranch?" she
asked.
wait" he suggested.
Riding out. winds carrying the
dead scents of late autumn, damp
on her cheeks, Constance found
Taylor quiet. thoughtful.
At each point of interest he
refined in to give her a detailed
report of its relation to the life of
the ranch - this stream never
runs dry" and-"here is stand
of timber which will give Ell Ca
brillo firewood for the whole OF
Its existence, if it is cut over
properly"
Here was the family orchard
and here the kitchen garden,
Here. they dismounted, was the
dug-out, a great cavern, the walls
lined with crooks and jars of
canned fruit, the floors with bas-
kets of potatoes and onions, APP
Piles and squash.
I'VE don't have to bu !ch
here" he offered. as they mt
ed again ''El Cabrillo is almost
self-supporting"
Pedro" cried Constance, you
are the most astonishing person.
You haven't said anything against
the ranch. You are stressing its
selling points as | would stress
them to a prospective buyer :.
why, Pedro. Dhy?"
Taylor's glance barely fiecked
Constance, but she was stirred by
the intense emotion she saw visi-
BILE in his face Perhaps" he said,
Il am proud of its response to
good management and want you
to appreciate it; perhaps am
putting il through its PAGES to
show il off, and perhaps"
Eyes, go on; perhaps what?"
He turned in his saddle to look
directly at ner.
Perhaps I want nothing in this
world that is not mine by divine
right"
Constance stared at Pancho be-
cause she could not meet Pedro'S
eyes. What had he meant? There
were two interpretations. He
might mean he was playing fair
in his attempts to buy the place.
regardless of his silence on the
railroad right of way.
And - don't be an idiot
warned her mind, but her hearts
reasoning thought - "he might
want me to come back"
Don Juan?
THAT thought was pleasing
They rode up a canon where
the manzanita was scarlet, but no
more rudy than the cheeks of
Senorita Conchita Cabrillo. And
Pancho's hoofs on the rock of the
mountain trail kept time to the
quickened beat of the seforita's
heart.
Pedro took Constance to a spot
high on the second range. above
the timber line, an area covered
with great boulders.
On one side were blue forests
and mountains, their snowy peaks
vivid against the dull sky. On the
other were the rolling hills of
FL Cabrillo. dotted with cattle:
with groves of trees. and beyond
the next range the Pacific. dull
gray, except where the sun, try
ing 10 filter through the clouds,
lay a shining slate gray path on
the waters.
Pedro helped Constance from
the saddle. then with one swift
movement lifted her to a high
boulder
There you are" he said.
You you act as though you
were giving me the world" she
charged.
1t has been a world, complete
20 me-" he confessed. and Jumped
10 the rock beside her.
Why the past tenSeF"
Michael" He held her arms in
the tight grip OF his hands, tower
ing over her. looking down at
her. and she waited.
About them the storm winds
blew; weird winds with voices un.
heard in the lowlandS: strong
winds rich with the scent OF the
sea and the pines. Constance won
dered IL they were stronger than