The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-20
Chapter %
Tour OF The Ranch

- ana ner nose anu NlOOheQ up
with a watery smile. "Guess you
won't have much confidence in
my business ability after this
scene, will your"
"Hrrrumph," grunted Peter
Taylor. "Never did have any I'M
til nolD."
Shocked to alertness, Constance
looked at him. John had said the
older Taylor expected her to fail.
Somehow this substantiation of
Johns power of discernment
faded before his other prophecy.
that Young Taylor would take the
easier route. And Pedro was now
out riding with Donna. And
Donna was riding Pancho.
Constance forgot everything
else. about Pancho," she re-
minded Taylor.
"Er-a-yes, about Pancho, write
me a check for nine hundred and
he's yours"
Constance gasped at the price,
but wrote the check and accepted
the receipt and watched Taylor
enter the sale in his book. She
. wondered why she felt such ten
derness for that. huge old, gray
head : when 1T held thoughts
of taking advantage of her fail
ure. She, couldn't trust herself
further. She clutched the receipt
in her: hand and raced down the
hill. Pancho was hers, all hers,
the oniys thing in the world that
was hers, all hers unless it
might be John he was waiting
for her.
And he was laughing.
Constance heard vibrant
neigh. She looked across the
grove. Pancho. riderless, was
laughing. And coming into the
stable yard was Pedro, leading
Midnight. And on Midnight was
the bedraggled figure of Donna:
Donna, nud-caked. hair hanging
in wet struggles, a pitiful figure
of woe.
Constance ran to her anxiously.
Her little sister, thrown, while
she, Constance, had been trying to
deprive her Of the mount she
wanted.
Tenderly Constance helped
Donna from Midnight. Donna
didn't look at her, she was look
ing at Pedro: and Pedro. Con-
stance knew from months of as
ISOLATION, was shaking with
laughter.
I'm awfully glad you hap
pened along lust then" Donna
was murmuring in dulcet tones.
"Intimating it wasn't a date?"
asked Pedro, with a side glance
for Constance. Next time, let me
know when you want to ride and
I'll find a horse that isn't a one
woman mount"
Constance caught one glance of
her old, dear Pedro in the look
he gave her, then he swung onto
Midnight's saddle and rode out
And Donna turned on her. You
put him up to that. You have
trained him to throw anyone
else" she shrilled.
Constance looked up at the
willows. A great cloud had
rolled from her spirit She
wanted to laugh, to throw her
arms wide at the sudden feeling
of relief. 1t meant there was
still a fighting chance to save
everything dear to her.
But I'm going to ride that
horse" Donna went on, her
voice shaking with anger. I'll
have Don break him for me;
and when Don gets through
with him, he'll be broken"
Mmcing, swishing his tail and
name, Pancho came across the
grove to Constance, like a child
confident of having performed
cute trick which would be
duly rewHrued
"Donua. Resistance faced her
sister, you said this morning
that l didn't eVn Pancho any
more .han any of the rest of
you. | do I've Bought and paid
for him. and here is the receipt.
Now keep off,
Donna. looked at Constance,
then looked at John. Nice en-
gagement present" she OBJ
served, and ran away, her boot
heels tapping the patio floor.
So involved
CONSTANCE dug in her sweater
- pocket for a lump of sugar. |
patted Pancho'S nose and turned
him over to the stableboy, then |
stepped inside the patio with
John.
"What she needs" stated John,
SIS to be turned over someone's
knee and treated with the sole
of a slipper"
Whose knee and what slip
per?" asked Constance YEARLY
Mother wcn':: there's no one
else but me and, after all, I'm
only two years older than she
and Don"
But she was so involved IN
their affairs. She wondered IL
that was what Peter Taylor had
meant. that she couldn't succeed
with the dead weight Of the Ca
brillos about her shoulders. and
that the purchase Of Pancho was
the first indication she had shown
of cutting herself of from this
weight and travelling on her own
She would talk 20 John inaTne-
diateIy. She would not tell hin OF
Pedro. The wound Pedro's dis
trust had left was too deep: il
was a dull aching pain her hope
could not surnount. Enough 70
tell John re must not count on
her marrying him al any time
But Nadine Cabriilo was in the
patio. John. Julian0. Juanita and
Dolores we're called into service.
They would lunch there, and
4 q