The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-01-27

4
white shirt, blue jeans, and gray
felt hat Of the average stockman.
what is so arnusing?" Con-
stance demanded.
Pedro sobered. Zone doesn't
post in a Mexican saddle, Miss
Michael"
miss Cabrillo to you. Pedro"
she snapped.
''Mr. Taylor to you, Senorita
Conchita Cabrillo," he retorted.
Constance grasped the saddle
horn to steady herself.
| Young Taylor. Oh, why hadn't
she paid more attention to Sam
and to Min! Why hadn't it oc-
Cured to her that they were
speaking of the managers son?
| And what had they said? Sam
had said: "He shore has a way
with girls" and that he'd been
back from college several years
but them goods amt given up
yet" And Min had wished her
good luck!
Constance writhed with humili-
alton. and then with indignation
as she realized Taylor was not
surprised to learn her identity.
"You knew last night" she ac-
cused heatedly. "Why did you
pose as vaquero and call your
self Pedro? And why pretend you
didn't know my identity?s And
how did you known"
'One at a time, please" begged
Taylor. "But first take off that hat
>. there, that's better.''r0
81 am taking it off," announced
Constance loftily, because it
hurts my ears" ~ &
"All right" Taylor smiled at
her. First, / didn't pose as a va
quero. / am one. Of course / help
manage the ranch while Dads
laid up >. by the way" he broke
off in mock apprehension, "did
you meet my father?"
sAfraid?'
CONSTANCE was forced to
~ laugh. IT did. Go on"
GAIL right. I am a cowboy, and
you with your Spanish ancestry
should know Pedro is Peter in
Spanish. My name is Peter.
GAS to your identity. I assumed
you had reasons for calling your
self Miss Michael, so I accepted
your Michael identity and
treated you accordingly"
Constance thought Of their part
ing scene the previous night and
flushed. "But how did you recog-
nize me as a Cabrillo? I don't
look like one"
Taylor looked thoughtfully for
moment, then frightened. "You
were angry when the Station
Master at the junction called this
the Taylor ranch. Then Sam no.
ticed your bags were initiated
C.C.C. And then Tins Min began
to worry about the car. Shed
nearly lost it when it went over
the cliff with Tim in it, so she
telephoned Meg to be on the look
out /. not for you but for
the car.
"Juliano went down to the
highway and you tried to run
over him as he attempted to flag
you down. He sent a rider after
me and | posted men along every
road. You waited until you
reached the last one before turn
ing east and ! happened to have
posted myself"
"But you acted surprised to
see to see a woman driving
that car" protested Constance.
Il was surprised =. to see
you," countered Taylor, gravely,
and started riding, Constance's
mare trotting obediently along
with his horse.
"But that still doesn't explain
how you knew who"
my dear young lady, when ]
went to college, but was con-
sidered the most abruptly argu-
mentative word in the English
language"
| "Oh," flashed Constance, $50
you studied English. too. / under
stood that you majored In coeds."
Taylor's horse sprang forward
and Constance, catching glimpse
of his masters face, found 1t set
and angry. That dart, she de-
cided triumphantly. had gone
home.
"Your father sent me out here
to discuss business with you"
she offered, riding up. II want to
know why you want to buy this
ranch?"
ut is possible we Taylors like
the place." he answered imper-
sonally.
mo one is asking you to dislike
it." argued Constance. You are
living here. You have a contract
to stay as long as the ranch re-
mains In our hands that Is,
your father has, so why put out
fifty thousand dollars when you
already have its equivalent
value?"
Peter Taylor's shoulders went
Spanish. II couldn't explain It to
you"
Constance frightened the leash
on her temper. brought forth a
husky ehuckle and murmure6.
Perhaps, like your father. you
need a stout desk to pound when
you talk"
Taylor turned with q quick,
flashing snniie-~Td rather not
like you. Miss Cabriilo."
Afraid" asked Constance I'm
the voice Pedro had used the pre-
vious night. then with him she
intcned frigidly-@fust not in
! tereSted."
Taylor gave a gesture OF defeat
"You win" he laughed. and
refined his horse around. There's
3 stone table in your patio. think