The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-04

fute the printed statements and
give you credit for your fine
work"
Constance slipped the letter
into her bag, after addressing it
to Peter Taylor, Senior, then
turned out her light and went
to the window to look down on
the arriving guests.
Lights threw a luster on top
hats and white shirtfronts, on
folds of velvet, satin and furS.
White eyes of limo usines
streamed up the driveway, and
red tail lights blinked as they
wheeled down again.
Once a cab stopped to deposit
a tall, squarely- built figure, and
Constance leaned close to the
pane to look down and whis-
per- why why, John!"
He had become real again.
He'd stepped out of the back
ground, where he'd been pushed
by the more vivid life at Ell Ca
brillo, and for a moment it
seemed to Constance that only
with the sight of him had she
actually returned from the ranch.
She turned away then to study
her position. One thing, the Ca
brillos' headlong fling into debt
substantiated her claim that the
fifty thousand dollars wouldn't
last long, once it was in their
hands.
"Oh," she thought bitterly, 81
wish this were Old England
where they had a debtors prison.
Maybe that would teach this fam
lily the lesson they must learn
some day.
"And why do l assume the bur-
den? I'm not responsible for their
actions? I'm not even bound by
a promise to my father, as Lam
son is .-
"Why don't | let them sell the
place and step out, start living
my own life . . let them SELL
she stopped with sob. 81 can't.
| may as we'll be honest. ] love
Ell Cabrillo. I'm really saving it
because l love it more than I
love them"
The last car departed and COM
parative quiet reigned in the hall
below. Assured the guests were
all at dinner, Constance de-
scended the stairs. Going out to
mail letter." she whispered to
Lamson.
Outsider
The green nav of the post-b
i accepted the envelope Con-
stance drove on, trying to blind
herself to the course of that mis-
sive. Someone would go down
to the highway for the mail
pouch. It would be brought to
Peter Seniors table. He'd cough,
rumble. and finally throw it
across to Pedro.
please. God" whispered Con-
stance seeking a glimpse of stars
through the naked limbs of the
park trees please make them
understand that the story was
given in thoughtlessness."
She couldn't drive all night so
she returned home. wormed her
way through the driveway and,
leaving the car before the garage,
started back to the house. She
stopped before the lighted WIN
dows of the solarium.
Somewhere an orchestra played
disc thy. Couples danced
through from the hall, down the
tiled floors and back into the hall
through another doorway.
There was her mother, radiant
in amber velvet, looking at that
moment only half the age of the
daughter who scowled at her
from the darkness of the terrace.
Constance scowled because she
couldn't picture Nadine Cabrillo
at the ranch. She belonged here;
here in this exotic setting.
Don strobe through, sleek and
handsome. The girl in his arms
adjusted her steps to his with a
panied, adoring smile. Don would
never adjust his steps TO an
others.
And then came Donna; exotic
as a tropical blossom, in a frock
that semed a swirl of living BIOS
SONS: one scarlet flower in the
high coils of her blue-black hair.
Donna and-Constance straight
ened. Donna and John Rask-
thorne engaged in deeply seri-
Gus conversation. Constance Won
dered if her feeling of alarm was
jealousy, and then she saw Donna
jerk from Johns arms, stomp tiny
scarlet shoes and snap her fingers
before Johns patrician nose.
"Okay, sister,
A hand closed on Conctance's
arm with the words. and stimuli
taneously a hashlight blinded her.
Whats the business?" de-
manded the voice.
Let 60 Of my arm" warned
Constance.
Come on, come on. what are
You up to-" dFoned the superior
person beyond the fashlight.
I'm Constance Cabrlilo and
L"
yeah? Well. I'm old Don Ca
brillo's ghost" chuckled the shsd-
ow, Here, Ed, you 90 through
her bag"
Constance fought the hand that
gripped her. You touch that bag
and you'll be sorry" she prom
User. Who are your"
We're private detectives, sis
ter, put here to catch little blue
eyed snltchers. Want me 10 take
yoa into the Cabrillnss"
No" cried Constance. But
please lock- in my bag. you'u End
my drivers license there, and IL
you can't believe what you read,
ratf rar~srE1 sha hi1tlnr hall