The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-21
YESTERDAY: Constance buys
Pancho for 5000. She and John
tour the ranch.
Chapter 20
Johns Plan


L first barn, she thought. He
watched them approach, oberly,
smiled genially at John, and
treated Constance with the. epurs
tesy of a ranch managers son for
the owners daughter.
Constance hated him. She felt
a primitive desire to scratch = Il
him. force his attention qatil she
either fought back or feft,T van
quished. Instead. she prattled
about ventilating systems, 0dder,
and the necessity of protecting
dairy cows from chillS.
Pedro, like a hired guide, :,
tnem through each barn; those oc-
cupied, those waiting for the new
herds. He took them into the la
boratory. introduced John to Ped
ersen's chemist, waited until he
had seen a test run. then graVely
escorted him on.
And Constance followed. seeth-
ing inwardly. Pedro was playing
I'D to John for some reason. end
John was falling for Pedro's act.
Thoughtfully they rode back to
the ranch house.
mind if | take look at your
books. Constance?' John asked,
as they neared the stables.
I'm too proud of them, John, "
she confessed. Maybe you had
better look at them and findtsome
fault"
Twilight Games in asgJohrrs cat
studying the figures, making COM
putations on a pad, asking ques-
tions which Constance found
readily answerable.
And then John put 5the books
and pads aside and sat in deep
thought for a few moments.
"Chita." he said at length.
"Chita, I've made up my mind
what I'm going to do. Only twice
before in my life have | found
the desire to possess so strong chat
| let common sense 90 by the
boards. l haven't been sorry.
Il put my business in good
hands in the east. Pm free. You
need someone here who can han
die the family, as well as, the
ranch. You can't.
Frankly. do not like the Tay-
lors. ! distrust that bluff. hearty
attitude of the old man, and the
young one you call Pedro is too
smooth.
"I'm going to buy them out.
I'm going to make them such a
good offer they can't refuse !.
without disclosing their hand.
And if they refuse; we fight.
Chita; you and /. Weir fight them
clear off of Ell Cabrillo.' "a n,
Constance found grace in the
twilight John couldn't see her
eyes; couldn't read in them what
was in her heart. sasfsis
I'VE fight the Taylors."
The Taylors were to be "sbopgbt
Constance felt the sustaining
earth of Ell Cabrillo Rancho
qunver beneath. hersJ VI
John was assuming possession
Of Ell Cabrillo, as he had assumed
possession Of her. .@.
And FL Cabrillo was as power.
less to fight him as she had been.
She was bound by the fifty
thousand dollar investment he
had made in her
FL Cabrillo was bound by the
three Cabrillos who could out
vote her decision. for her final
word lay only on the sale of the
land.
what do you think of it?"
Constance was glad there were
no electric lights. John couldn't
press a switch and find the an
swer in her face. She must have
time; time to find the answer.
Spiritual ValEe'
II DON'T know, john" she an
L swered carefully. and her eyes
were narrowed. you have. been
on ranch property only a little
more than twenty-four hours and
you find its fascination driving
you to possession, How do you
think the Taylofs who ira We lived
here for more than fifteen years
must feel. 3A4V s@r SauRAgaus
do you think money can buy
them OFF, Don'tryDu brliexe. with
me, that this land holds some
thing deeper. something with a
spiritual value which transcends
profit"
"Ummm," murmur Rask-
thorne, "No, | wouldn't say that.
Constance. To men who have only
a few thousand dollars, an in
crease on those dollars is bound
10 count.
"Men, my dear child, look to
security. II they can't find it in
land belonging to someone else,
then they expect their invest
ments TO provide it.
And every man has his price!"
Constance thought. And every
woman. Mine was fifty thousand.
! bargained with YOU, John. ! sold
my right 10 love ar that"
She didn't say il. She wondered
why she had waited, And now II
was too late. John. alert. conf
dent. eager, had said he was gox
ing 10 dress, they'd discuss this
further and he'd see Taylor at
once. .t.....
Constance sat en- in tire darK-
ness. Pedro. the Smaatl1l otes.
had said this WAS her fghi. lie
hadn't offered 20 take Fesyosfsi :
bility from her shoulders. Was Il
that he hadn't cared2 Was II tire
man-thought Of q ep end en- c
which had made him offer 10 ride
with Donna. q symbol OF every
mans desire 20 have a woman
lean on him. Or could i be that
he respected her right 10 fight
her own batte; preserve her own
Spiritual srtegritYe