The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-03-01
Chapter 36
To The Victor

--D @~%oA
TON bent to kiss Constance, pat
~ ted her hand. Forget every
thing; I'm in the saddle now"
Donna whisked in gaily. my
word, how you do steal the
Hmelight' she prattled. "Here
spent days and nights being a
traitor jteb my family to try to
forewsTn Pedro what was going
on SO he'd save the ranch, and
then, just as I was ready for the
big denouement. you jump off
the deepnend." 10. ''
There, was silence for a mo-
ment. Constance waited for the
next news. Then Donna sided
nearer the bed.
Connie, will you be my maid
of-honor?"
mol" The word came out
fcrcefully. This was too much.
mot that don't think Pedro
will make an ideal brother-in-
law" she fastened to say.
"PedEoi Good gracious, Con,
that tall. dark and handsome
wouldn't have me as a gift. I'm
marrying Jack Dea. You know,
Santa Barbara and Viewpoints.
We're going to the Islands"
But you and Pedro" began
Constance.
Listen, sweet. all l ever had
out OF Pedro's company was a
course OF curtain lectures. He was
the one who made me see what
o nit-wit ] was around you. He
made me appreciate you. He likes
girls dixie you, girls with a put-
pose like that red-headed Irene
something or other"
Constance scarcely heard Don
mas chatter until she said. "and
] think Nadine and the Major are
that way"
So she had lost to the red-head,
Constance thought. She had been
SO concerned with the thoughts of
her head that she hadn't listened
10 her heart. Not that it mat
tered: she was just fifty thousand
dollars behind marrying anyone
herself.
Nurse" Constance Weakened
from q late nap. "Tm leaving to-
morrow. / can, can't /? But
don't want anyone to know"
We'll" said the nurse, eff you
can pass that man who's waited
downstairs every day"
What man?" hope fared up.
"John Raskthorne." said the
nurse, reading it from a card.
Hope died down. By dint of
bribery. Constance left the hos
pital in the freight elevator. A
hired car and driver waited at
the ambulance entrance. Con-
stance was glad she didn't have
to steer the car past that memora-
BILE spot.
El Cabrillo was quiet when she
reached there. Then she spied
Juliano: Juliano in sack-cloth, his
hair busted In ashes. Juliano the
dramatic. who came to her on his
knees.
"It's all right" Constance as
sured him. I'VE Just didn't under
stand each other. I'm going away,
Juliano, you can repay me bv
showing Don and Pedro how FL
Cabrillo men can make this
ranch the best of its kind"
My Wife
DANCHO was in his eleven-acre
y lot, healed. He came to her with
whinny Of greeting. He pranced
around when she was in the sad
die, then headed for the hills, and
she let him take his own way.
She was saying goodby to Ell Ca
brillo. She wanted to be alone.
Fog was coming in from the
west. AS she rode up the ridge
TO the boulder peak. she could see
II tllmbling in beneath her in sill
yer waves. Perhaps she should
turn back. but Maria had assured
her. nearly a year ago. that horses
Travelled by sense.
She patted Pancho and he lifted
his head. barred his teeth and
trumpeted.
An answering trumpet came
from the timberline and horse
man rode out.
Constance watched him. seated
90 sl9eiy. riding so easily, this
same Vdquero who had ridden out
Of eaesher fog. And she WEES
stirred a thousand-fo fold more than
she had been stirred that other
time :
"Sehorita." he smiled at her; a
conquering. proud smile, dark
eyes challenging. "You are loSt?"
Il haze lost. Pedro" she COR
rected. smiling as she thrust her
hand at him. congratulations.
To the victor goes Ell Cabrillo,"
Pedro swung off his horse and
sent him grazing. then extended