The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-23

fog ahead was a curdled sea of
gray, and then it thinned to re-
veal a stand of redwood, next
turned a dull orange, and, as she
reached the summit, disappeared
to let her ride out into clear. yell
low light.
One look ahead and Constance
braked the car and turned, off the
motor. Before her lay half Of the
remaining Cabrillo acres, mel
lowed in the last rays of the sun.
There were the hills of tan velvet
rolling away to plum colored
mountains standing in a serrated
line against the blue-gray sky.
Sell this? Never!
Yet no wonder Taylor wanted
IL for his own. And no wonder
the vaquero looked as though he
had sprung from such golden
land.
He was riding down the sharp
drop to where a wide adobe
house squatted in the lea of the
hill, dwarfed by the giant Euca-
lyptus trees which lowered above
it.
He stopped his horse before the
adobe, and woman, built like
the house, squeezed through the
door.
Consta nee laughed as she
watched the pantomime.
The woman waved red apron
excitedly. She threw it up over
her head and back down. Then
she raised her voice and the words
came to Constance through the
thin air. la.t ,
"Josefa :. 10 see ia! Marietta!
Juan! Carlos! Muy pronto"
Children came scrambling nltty
pronto from every direction, and
Maria, after a hurried consulta-
ton, waved them on with her
apron. One to the woodpile,. one
to the chicken yard, one to the
little garden beyond the grove.
and the girl into the house.
Maria" murmured Constance,
sis preparing for a guest. What
will she think when she learns
that her guest is a Cabrillo?"
Miss Michael
| CUDDENLY Michael Mahoney's
- great granddaughter sat erect,
her eyes narrowed. The vaquero
had wheeled away from the house
to lope out to the stables where
two riders had just come in from
the hills.
Tonight, after the evening meal,
these men would sit around and
talk. If they didn't know her as a
Cabrillo, she could ask leading
questions and learn all she need
ed to know about the ranch be-
fore Taylor knew that she was
within thousand miles of the
place.
"What name shall / use?" she
wondered, then nodded. They had
called her a throwback. Very
we'll, she would take her great
grandfather's first name. She
would be Miss Michael for one
night.
A swift shadow fell over the
hills. and Constance shivered in
the chill November evening air.
She started her engine, to make
slow descent, brakes, gears and
her own young muscles straining
to hold the car back from its i'm
petuous dash TO the valley.
As she pulled up before the
adobe Maria ppeared, now
clothed in black, hair pulled into
neat bun, round face shining
with recent soaping and broad
welcome, a white apron replacing
the red one.
She burst into a flow of Spanish
which left the descendant of the
Dons frowning in a concentrated
effort to follow her words.
Welcome" concluded Maria,
and Constance relaxed. Maria, il
appeared, could speak English
after a fashion, and also. after a
fashion. could understand it.
"Si. she had one extra room,
but not for money, for a guest.
And. "Si," she could arrange
such humble food as would pacify
the hunger of the Sehorita.
Constance follow e d as she
backed into the long main room
OF the house; a room which might
have looked barren with its
white-washed walls. hand-hewn
furniture and rock fireplace, had
not the rafters and windows been
festoored with rows of green and
scarlet peppers, yellow gourds
and strings of pearly white garlic.
And for the little Shrine set
in an alcove off the inner door.
Ia small taper glowing before II.
Maria backed towards the
Shrine. then respectfully stood
aside, waiting. and Constance.
reaching back in her memory, re-
membered tradition of the Ca
brillos.
She had completed hazard
Gus journey. She must give
thanks for its safe termination;
for the welcome of friends and
for food and shelter.
Obediently she knelt and when
she arose found Maria, a fatu-
Gus smils on her face. nodding
to someone across the room.
Constance turned and her heart
| frightened. then quickened its
beat. The uaqaero had come in.
Did she imagine disappointment
and vague pain in the expression
in his eyes. or was il the shadow
Of the fast falling twilight
Confusedly Maria introduced
him" Senorita Michel. thees ISIS
Pedro" she offered. then raised
her voice. "Mariettal"
Marietta, a pocket edition Of
her mother, came scurrying in,
and Constance. aware enly Of the
slight bow the vaquero had given