The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-28
Chapter Eight
Shrewd Irishman

once did strain appear.
What were those queer-look
ing cattle?" Constance asked, ant
pointed back to the sleek cow
with black heads and launches, ;
white band going evenly abou
their middle.
Dutch belted," answered Peter
what is their selling point?'
pursued Constance.
Selling point?" echoed the puz
zled cattleman. ooh, you NEAR
their merit? They're to the Dutch
what the Holsteins are to the
Danes; quantity milk-producers."
And then he checked himself
looked quickly at Constance anc
quickly away, and she pursued the
tubject no longer but tucked il
into her memory for further con-
sideration.
Sunlight filtered through the
willows, casting a dappled shade
in the patio. The table between
them, Constance and Pedro, for sc
he would always be to her, faced
each other.
Constance looked at him and
found the romantic vaquero had
disappeared and a shreWd black
Irishman had taken his place. She
was no longer pretty girl to him,
but an opponent.
Constance, had she known It,
held the advantage. Hair ruff1ed
by the wind, grotesque overalls
and outsized shirt, she looked like
a guileless tomboy. To one who
had never studied the portraits OF
the late Michael Mahoney, there
was nothing in the blackfringed
blue eyes to warn them to be-
ware.
"You said you couldn't explain
your desire to own Ell Cabrillo, VI
Constance began. "Why?"
"How explain love to one who
has never loved?" countered Tay-
Tor.
Assuming I don't love this
land" deducted Constance.
1--WE don't neglect what we truly
love-" retorted her opponent.
"You Taylors are in charge oi
the land. If there is neglect, why
lay 1t at the feet of the Cabrillos?'
Admitting father has beer
managing the ranch for sixteen
years, have you, anyone Of you
since the death of your father
ever tried to understand how
handicapped we are?
"Has any Cabrillo asked of the
land? Have they ever taken any
interest in anything excepting
how to get more money out OF
1t? Have they ever suggested one
penny be put back into the land
or into the stock?
mo land, business, or individ-
ual can grow without replenish-
ing.
"You wouldn't understand the
necessity of crossing strains to
improve the stock. And you
wouldn't understand the necessity
of improving stock to meet chang
ing market conditions.
when father, five years ago,
paid a thousand dollars for Red
River Dan, a bull, your eastern
agent accused him of experiment.
ing at the cost of FL Cabrillo and
refused to allow the deduction.
Father paid for him out of his
own pocket because he knew il
was necessary.
Hes done these things many
times to keep life flowing through
these acres and through the herds.
He's fought for this place as
though 1t were his own. And il
has been a losing fight"
"Then why does he want to buy
it?" demanded Constance.
''Men who know fathers abil-
ity are willing to loan him money
to put FL Cabrillo on a good pay
ing basis. They can't do that. and
he can't ask them TO, while the
land remains in your hands.
I'VE don't know when you peo-
pie may suddenly decide TO sell to
someone else. And you can't mort
gage this place as long as it re-
mains in your hands, because IL
Is homesteaded. You can't even
sell off a portion TO raise money
because you are bound by the
stipulationS in your fathers will.
So there you are"
'Cleverly EvaSive'
DETER TAY LOR concluded.
lighted a cigaret, and above
the match twin flames were set
in his dark eyes as they watched
Constance; twin flames of deri-
sion.
Satisfied" he asked when she
didn't speak.
NO" she answered promptly.
To the Taylor she had expected
20 meet out here. she could have
asked the source of the fifty thou
sand he intended 10 use for the
purchase OF FL Cabrillo; the source
Of the money they had already ex-
pended on the place. She couldn't
ask that Of this man anymore than
she could have allowed anyone to
ask such question of herself.
She dug into her Jeans for her
cicaret case and Pedro was quick
with light for her. His hand
touched hers and she started,
started and met his eyes only tC
look quickly away. ReSoutely she
steeled herself against the fasci-
nation this man held for her, and
when she looked at him again,
the blue Of her eyes were mere
slits between the shelter OF lasheS
you've given me logical rea-
sons FOR wanting ownership" she
conceded. but you're withholding
something vitality important, just
as you withheld your reason FOR
knowing Cabrillo was due at the
ranch.