The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-27
Chapter Seven
Young Taylor

Young Taylor
CONSTANCE smiled at him
- "how you do jump to conclu.
/ SionS. / really came to find ou
why you were offering so much
for the ranch?"
"Eh?" Taylor nearly bounced
up. Its worth every cent of that.
mot as ranch for livestock,
countered his guest nonchalantly
Your grazing ground is only hall
OF what it used to be. Another
generation and it will be timber
land. Right now it's in between.
Taylor stared at Constance un-
til his gray eyes seemed ready tt
pop out of his head. you're M
Cabrille," he pronounced. you're
-. now who the devil do you re.
mind me of :. have it the
old Mick!"
'Don't rub it in." begged Con-
stance YEARLY.
Grub it in, grit Say, that's g
compliment. If some of that
family of yours had taken after
him in more than looks and {
smooth way Of talking, this place
wouldn't have been in the condi
ton / found it. Say. now /. you
don't happen to be a throwback
Isl that why you're holding out
when. the rest of your family want
to sell?' -
Constance smiled with her lips,
but her eyes were well shaded
with lashes. "Now why would
Mickey Mahoney hold out?" she
disparaged.
Taylor lay back on the pillows
mo you DON'T" he objected. It'll
take a man with two good legs
to stand up to you. I think you'd
better see my son. can't talk un-
less / can pound on something and
there's no resistance in this
damned mattress.
Meg, where's the boy?"
Like as not he's ridden into
town, bein's that's the only place
out of range of your voice, you
carryin'' on like lion with a sick
paw. Might be, though, that he's
out lookin' after that dairy herd"
well, get him!" roared Taylor,
my Lord, woman, don't stand
there talking! Send someone after
him, get after him yourself"
"Come on, Miss" breathed Mes
resignedly Hes like one of thin
geysers in Yellowstone. He's goi
to let off steam every half hour
It's gettin' to that time, and the
words he'll say won't be fit for
human consumption" )
Constance went out Laughing,
but her eyes were still narrowed
Her chance shot had gone home
She had noticed the growth OF
young timber where herds had
once grazed. And P. T. Taylor had
started to rise to her bait. then
given himself away by saying he
wouldn't.
If they weren't planning on
keeping this cattle ranch, what
were they planning to do?
She'd better talk to Taylor's
boy alone.
"Meg," she tucked hand into
the warm curve of the woman's
arm, "why couldn't / ride up to
find Mr.. Taylor's son. l want tc
ride out to my fathers grave
later"
Meg eyed her suspiciusly. well
now, maybe. Only, pet, he don''
like pretty girls"
Constance nodded. She'd met
a few young men like that. She
could handle them more easily
than the other kind. Find me
something to wear" she coaxed
Meg's eyes were suddenly mer-
ry. "Juliano," she. called, ''brins
horse for Miss Conchita. and {
boy for a guide"
a tew moments later Constance
eyed herself in Meg's mirror and
shI ok with laughter. A white
shiitwaist of Meg's was rolled uE
about her elbows. Blue overalls
brought from the ranch house
were rolled up at the cuffs. A REQ
'kerchief was knotted about hef
throat, but the browning glory
was Meg's garden hat. a man:
straw which settled dowE ovei
| Constance's ears until she looked
as though she were in hiding.
"A Way With Girls
! At least the horse was beauti-
I 4 full, shining chestnut mare
with restless head, glancing re-
Sentfully back at the ornate Mexi-
/ can saddle.
It was such a contrast TO tho
fiat English pads she had ridder
in parks, Constance felt that sht
/ was in an armchair.
! The guide. a boy riding a pinto
/ led her away to a mountain trail
and she looked about her ant
found the world glorious. She
I was riding on a Cabrillo horse. on
a Cabrillo trail. looking az Ca.
brillo hills and trees and tins
( streams.
They came out on a round knoll
where a lone horseman SAT- star.
ing ~ a herd Of strange-lookinl