The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-30
Chapter 10
Dairy Farm

THE old man leaned forward
i and stared anew you are no
{ a brillo," he said. mo, I've
known three generations Of them.
Courtesy. that's what a Cabrillo
gives you; old world courtesy, all
excepting Bridget, but then she
wasn't born a Cabrillo.
"Ah. but she was a woman" His
voice faded and slowed as he rose
and came across to Constance
That's it d. that's what you are
-. Mahonev. Put some meat on
those bones of yours f.. what did
you say your given name Was?"
"All right" agreed Constance,
YEARLY. I'm no Ca5rilIo. I'm the
old Mick done over in skirts. In
other words, Judge, I'm throw
back"
Judge Franck pounded the arm
Of her chair and roared. well
bless my soul and body. throw
back; a Cabrillo who turned into
a Mick; come on close to my desk
There child, sit down; now tell me
again, what is your rame?"
Call me Michael" suggested
Constance.
Fine. Now. Michael, tell me all
about yourself. l think / might
give you the answers. BY CAD.
girl, it's good to see you. sup
pose you came out to see about
selling the ranch. Well, sir, you
couldn't do better than sell 70 the
Tavlors. Fine men, both of them,
and they've named you fair
price
Il have no intention of selling
FL Cabrillo ranch"
Until Constance heard her own
voice, she had not realized how
firmly she had reached this deci-
sion.
"If the Taylors can find a way
to make money out of somebody
else's property. then a Cabrillo
who turned out mick. can do
the same thing"
The afternoon waxed and the
afternoon Waned. Constance
pounded one side of the desk and
the judge pounded the other And
then, when they were both tired,
the judge paced the room and
held a lengthy verbal argument
with himself.
Michael" he came to a stop
before her. you could talk me
into giving kidnaper a suspend
ed sentence"
"Meaning?" Constance kept the
triumph out of her voice.
Judge Franck sat down heavily. |
There is no ethical reason !
shouldn't tell you what | know.
There is a moral reason. TIE Tay- |
lor's plans are generally known;
however, there isn't man in this |
country who wouldn't keep them |
from an outsider"
"And a Cabrillo is an outsider?"
asked Constance.
1.-THE present generation of Ca
brillos are outsiders" affirmed the !
judge. THE Taylors have won the
right to be natives by their integ |
rity; their untiring efforts to put |
another family's ranch on a pay
ing basis.
"The Cabrillos have lost these |
same rights by their assumption
of ranches running themselves;
by their complete lack of interest |
in their land and their commu-
nifty"
"And the initial efforts of the
Cabrillos mean nothing?" asked
Constance. I'VE CabrilloS haven't
inherited any consideration? The
original Don didn't leave anything
to us in consideration when he
started this very city? And
Mickey Mahoney didn't contrib
ute anything when his money
paid for that courthouse and he
laid the cornerstone? Hasn't his
memory any value?"
Judge Franck sighed and nod
ded at has. and if Old Michael
Mahoney wasn't looking out of
your eyes. I'd be struck dead for
telling YOU what ! am about to
tell y8g
Their Present Plans
CONSTANCE had argued we'll
- She had admitted the Taylors
had earned certain rights But
why" she had demanded. must
we pay with all we have left for
n service we didn't demand2 Sure
~ there is other land they can
purchase If they must own land
1t was here Judge Franck had
capitulated.
''Not and carry out their pres
ent plans" he had objected.
Constance edged nearer her
chair. waiting for him to reveal
these plans.
IF you've looked over the
ranch. you'n remember there are
heavy stands of timber beyond
your eastern boundary Now. 81
Cabrillo is shaped like new
moon, its horns as wide as its cen
ter Il holds this timber within its
broken circle II is practically in,
accessible 10 the railroad without
hundreds of miles of trackage.
You say you came IN ON the
short line running through Full
er'S Junction. consequently you
don't realize that the main line.
coming 10 B eaehport runs
through the inland valley country
Now II a spur could be run
from the main line east of Beach
port and through the northern
horn Of your ranch. the haul OF
timber 10 the mills would be com.
paraiively short. the cost Of lay.
Ing the spur well worth the ex-
pEnSe.
The LongShore Lumber Com.
pAny, owning timber rights 20 the.
territory mentioned. is ready II
pay for that right Of way across