The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-21
MEMORY OF THE moon

the willow grove and up the hill
A fire was burning on the patio
hearth. Peter Taylor's silver hair
was FURNISHED to copper by the
glow.
Constance opened the door and
slipped in. She went resolutely to
him, paused beside the fireplace,
and there she found herself de-
chr" Peter Taylor sat up.
"What is it, Michael? More trou-
ble?"
Slim a boyish hands clasped be-
Hind her. Constance stood. blue
eyes dark with worry. mo" she
replied slowly. mo. Peter Taylor.
kP guess, after all, I'm a woman. It's
difficult to face things like man.
guess :" she hesitated. 81
guess I made mistake coming"
Come here"
Constance approached him
slowly.
what it is?" demanded Taylor.
Constance waited for a long
time. Be hind her the fire
cracked; behind her the mantel
clock licked off the moments.
y can't do it, Peter" she
sighed. Il /. I'm trying to
be loyal to too many people. / f.. p.
| only wanted you to promise me
that if if you were called upon
to make a decision, you would
be true to yourself. I mean.
you"
"Come here, Mike" He patted
his knee. Haven't had a pretty
Egirl perched on there for forty
years. Now listen. I'm not sissy.
I.knou what /; want and / know
what I'm going to have. And hell
and high water aren't goin' to
keep me 'FRONT.' !. ) understands
Constance sat rigid.
= >}fiNoufetly Merry
YOU'RE so, explicit" she muir
4 INJURED.
"All right, you want me to be
true to myself. Well, listen, young
Michael Mahoney, you do that.
Don't sell out. Understand"
Constance leaned forward, took
the white head in her hands and
kissed Peter Taylor on the brow.
you old sun-of-a-gun," she whis-
pered. 81 hope they string you
from a good tall Eucalyptus"
IN e ks too tough" h e
chuckled. GO on down and eat
your supper and get good sleep.
You look like one of these here
swooning movie stars. l like my
girls up and coming"
Constance sped down the hill
like shadow, wondering why
Pedro hadn't taken after his IA
Dinner was quietly merry af-
fair, Everyone. including Con-
stance. was. in good spirits 8
There was. a. station wagon in
,Beaehport, ii would be ready for
delivery the next day, Don re-
ported. Don was "high," Donna
said. He'd found an amazing re-
ception in the coast-city. y
lIC &dOl lllOS ldbC llClCs llC
opined. why say, even the cleo
trio company said they'd have
mem outs an the morning and
would do their best to have the
house wired and temporary line
run in to carry us over the week
end.
Donna had date" with Pedro.
She'd accidentally run into him in
the patio. "He was looking for
you, sis" she conceded. Wanted
to ask for some blanks. but"
and she smiled triumphantly. "he
didn't discuss blanks with me-"
Nadine Cabrillo was interested
in the ranch house. She had made
a tour. accompanied by Juliano
and maids. TO the guest rooms.
Major Pinkard is coming" she
explained. cheeks pink. HE i.
he's very appreciative of old
things"
John heartened them with his
resume of the ride and his con-
fidence in the ranch.
And Constance let the talk flow
over her like soothing waves.
From Peter Taylor she had car
ried something solid and sure.
She Youldp'tss".sell out" She'd
fight thropghsz even though it
antesntI losing p cabrillo to
| 'O For the 6sxtf0ur days she was
too busy To think. Don. Nadine.
and Jpliano required the service
of theEmen who Usually attended
to ranch routine. LamSon and she
tried to take their places.
The guests arr iv d Friday
night. Donna. detected. admitted
that Pedro refused to be shown
off like a blue-ribhon Holstein.
Constance was too submerged
with work to appear. and slipped
in and out of her room as quietly
as possible.
Laughter. music. the tinkle OF
glasses. Of bottles. of dishes. in
truded, into her sleep, but she
must be up at four. Pedro. relax
sing for a moment from his studied
contempt. had said: I'm taking
Meg on in the morning, there
won't be a man worthy of her
Shoes"
ut won't so on" Constance
Thought, as startled, she sat up
when lsomeone broke a bottle
against the tree outside her WIN
dow, ut can't.H she thought re-
Taxed and went back 10 sleep.
+, AT four o'clock she was up. At
Fnoon John came roaring back
from the fiesta az Beaehport
''Thtre seems 10 be q parade" be
explained. eaad eyolr4 have IS lead
TIT. Pm riding with Donna on the
tr.ain hacamsn Dan insists ilrnnn