The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-05

not man TO make promises he
could not fulfill, or SO Constance
thought, he did not commit him
self. They drove to a secluded
bank and watched the river wind
its way between jeWeled shores,
and Constance talked. She told
of Mrs. MacKelvey and her sue
cess; of the railroad; of the his
tory of Old Michael Mahoney and
of Peter Taylor, senior.
Not until she had slipped into
the house with no one yet aware
of her return, did she question
her failure to speak of Pedro.
John had said he would see her
at his office at three o'clock and
they would discuss business in a
business setting. Constance crept
YEARLY to bed with assurance
that somehow John would man.
age.
She'd stay away from the fam
lily until after that business con-
ference. That wouldn't be diff
cult. They would sleep until noon,
then meet in negligee and loung-
ing pajamas to have brunch to-
gether and discuss the previous
evening at their leisure.
Constance dressed for the con-
ference carefully. A frock Of dull
green, its only ornament lobu-
lar pendant at the trim collar,
shoes of the same shade and a
Robin Hood hat with a gay scarlet
feather. Her fur cape was cut
down from a discarded coat of
Donna's, though no one seeing
her swing down the avenue would 81
have thought it. ,6 .
"Jaunty but business-like," She
decided, looking into every shop
window for reinsurance as she
made her way to Johns Office
building.
An impersonal office boy turned
her over to an impersOnal secre-
tary, who took her in to confront
an impersonal John Raskthorne.
She sat in the indicated chair,
waited a moment to acclimate
herself to the change in the man
since the previous evening, then
spoke: CAS- | said last night,
need fifty thousand dollars"
what security have you to
offer?" asked Mr.. Raskthorne.
None" admitted Constance
frankly. However, | will give
my bond to the effect that should
fail to make success Of Ell
Cabrillo, | will agree to the sale
of it."
Fighting For A Chance
d ASKTHORNE fingered a pa
N per knife for a moment, then
looked directly at Constance.
"The only offer ever made for
Ell Cabrillo stands at fifty thou
sand. How would you propose to
pay your interest? And should
you fail, how would you pay the
other members Of the family their
share of the ranch and still be
able to repay the loan?"
In her eagerness Constance
moved closer. But after the rail-
road goes through the property;
and after l have converted it to
a dairy ranch and infused it with
fresh capital, it will be worth
more than fifty thousand"
A little smile played around
Raskthorne's lips. Have you
computed the INTEREST,"" he in
quired.
Naturally. It is less than half
the present profit on Ell CabrillO."
"And you would expect the
other members of the family to
reduce their expenses to half of
what they are now enjoying?"
Constance laughed. mot my
family. I'd set aside their present
portion at the very beginning"
"Conchita." John dropped his
business barrier. "On what do
you base your belief that Ell Ca
brillo could be sold for more than
the present offer, say, after pc
riod of three years."
Constance relaxed. That's sim
pie" she told him. "El Cabrillo
is the last long stretch of coast
line in that section. There are fifty ~
miles of it. Suppose. in an exA
tremity we should cut that into
mile wide sections and sell it for
summer homes. We could COM
mand and receive much more +
than thousand for each section
and wouldn't be touching the
ranch proper. The ranch has no
need of the coaSt-line as long as
1t retains enough for right of way
to the highway.
Raskthorne looked at Constance,
then looked away quickly. drew
a pad to him and began jotting
down figures.
Suppose. he said. II were to
offer you fifty thousand for the
ranch, with the proviso that upon
ownership | would divide the
coast into summer tracts and give
you Cabrillos fifty percent of the
profit?"
mo, no. joint" Constance
jumped up. Don't you see? I'm
fighting for the chance TO hold
I'll Cabrillo as il is. Cutting 1t up
~0uld be like like carving
bits OF a body loved
why, John. even the Taylors
wouldn't consider that"
They wouldn't she knew and
for the first time realized that
they loved the place as she did
Il wasn't stewardship that had
caused them 10 keep II as they
had. but 3 driving urge 70 pre-.
serve something beautiful in its
entirety,
She hated them for this. as a
woman might hate another wo-
man, for finding in her man the
same qualities she loved.
RaSkthoCae tapped his pencil
on the desk. wonder why no enc
Z !. z