The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-01


lowering in the background.
Constance sat at the head of the
table, as the first Don Cabrillo
had sat in the early days. dis
pensing hospitality In the little
arena bevond the grove. she
watched ne bull-dogging con-
tests, the roping and outlaw rid
ing, and she, the Cabrillo. handed
out the awards.
Pedro didn't compete. HE can
outride and outrope any man
here Mrs. MacKelvey whis-
pered, land he's 100 good a
sportsman to show them up"
The day ended all too soon.
Gray fog came up to peer over
the rim of the coast range, and
the party mounted. 80
Constance rode with her neigh
bors. Somewhere behind her.
Pedro was riding with a fluffy
haired little blond girl who plain
ly adored him, and just in front
of him red haired girl, dash
ing, bold, thought Constance, was
daring him to race.
Pedro accepted the dare.
Stif1y, holding Pancho in with
all of her strength. Constance
watched the race, contemptuous
and a little angry. while Pedro.
made a fool of himself" she
thought. Didn't he know that girl
wanted him to catch the reins OF
her horse and draw her close;
couldn't he see?
Of course!
Mrs. MacKelvey rode up. why
don't you come on home with me
now" she suggested. "Pancho's
fresh. We can take short cut
and be there in an hour"
Constance welco O. e d t h S
chance. She said goodby to her
guests at crosstrails,, and, con-
scious of Peter sitting motionleSs
on his horse watching her. rode
away with Mrs. MacKelvey.
Once she looked back. Peter
had wheeled away from the girl
with the red hair and was rid
ing back to Ell Cabriflo alone. Con-
stance wondered why she felt so
triumphant. Pedro really meant
nothing to her permanently.
Solid Shoulder
TIVE MacKelvey ranch lay be-
l. hind the first range of noun
tains and was free of heavy fog.
Constance's first impression was
of pristine neatness; of tcres con-
fined into proper sections by white
fences; of white barns set pre-
cisely in their lots. Even the cows
gave the impression of impecca-
BILE grooming.
"They are groomed," Mrs. Mac
Kelvey affirmed. ct h ey are
washed and brushed before each
milking"
1t was milking time, and Con-
stance was led through vast white
verns with spotlessly clean
cement floors. No picturesque
mixers squatted on three-legged
stools: the mixers were electric,
operated by remote control in
the hands of one man. And the
milk travelled by tube to a pipe
which ran through the barns to
depot, where it poured into cans
on wheeled flats, to be rolled to
waiting trucks.
Its all so efficiently handled"
Constance marveled.'
efficiency and economy are
synonymous" Mrs. MacKelvey
assured her. 81 learned that
through costly experience. Here
are the workmen's homes; rather
nice, don't you think? l let the
wives plan the homes they were
to occupy. They have free rein
with their gardens.
Another thing ! learned" she
unused, is that contented wives
mean contented Workmen. and
contented workmen are efficient"
And Constance, looking at a
lurid pink bungalow with blue
shutters, saw nothing ITO fore
warn her of future trouble.
Mrs. MacKelvey's preciseness
stopped at her own front gate. A
wild. Id a S h o ! ed garden
sprawled from fence to steps. only
a few marigolds and crystanthe-
NUNS holding out against the en-
croaching winter.
The house was roomy. cheerful
with light paint and lowered
chintz. The living room was lived
in. books everywhere, a grand
piano heaped with dog-eared mu-
sic. eo'v
Tea was served before roar
ing hearth fire and afterwards.
when the shadows grew thick, the
talk drifted to personal things.
|. but with the responsibility OF
this ranch, one might call it an
enterprise, on your shoulders,
don't you ever feel the need for
something to lean upon?" asked
Constance
Mrs. MacKelvey shot her a
quick whimsical glance. Il know
that feeling" she admitted. MY
parents were touched with the
gypSy's wand. happy go lucky
musicians. / married for security.
| married a rancher. PerverSely.
Jack was no more dependable
than any other men ali, but
the land. | found in il the warm.
solid shoulder I needed"
Constance slept on this thought.
She would lean on FL Cabrillo.
She awoke refreshed, and on a
daylight tour of the dairy ranch.
put the questions TO Mrs MacKel-
vey as one business woman to an
other.
When she started home. mid
morning, she felt able 10 conquer
the world. Michael had raised
m ey. She would too, and
then" Panel o, honey" she
patted the satin shoulder, well