The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-02-12
mErnORg OF THE moon


ooh, thin men, they're confer.
encing and they want you SHOULD
jine thin. Pedro's about due
back from Beachpcrt. He went
after the ould judge to look after
your interests. as though him ano
his father wouldn't"
st was thoughtful of him.
Constance said gravely. Johr
trusted Judge Franck.
She went to comb her hair and
lpull Meg's sweater over the
white shirt she wore with her rid
ing breaches, conscious of the
Woman's pleasure.
And she thought of John. She
must answer to him. 1t was his
money that was involved. She
must report each step of their
progress.
She thought of John again, as
she sat in conference. the other
men deferential. listening to her
views, answering her questions,
making suggestions as though
they, were giving her credit. for a
mans business judgment.
John would have asked the
I,questions for her, just as yester-
day he would have insisted upon
coming into the house with her
when she faced Juliano in his
mutiny. He would have protected
her, instead of riding off as Pedro
had done.
And yet, Pedro had said-"this
is your fight" Couldn't his driv-
ing away to let her face things
be compliment? Wasn't it his
way of saying he believed her
capable?
Which attitude did she prefer?
Both. she realized with honesty.
She wanted someone to lean
upon, and at the same time she
wanted the one leaned on to give
her credit for her ability to stand
squarely upon her own capabili-
ties.
Registered herds do cost
more" Petersen was saying, "but
we know they've been tuberculin-
tested generations back. Proven
tatiyes pay in the long rum"
Constance looked up to find
Pedro studying her, a quiet,
brooding study. He turned to the
dairy expert.
aThe Human Element
MIR. Petersen, your esti-
IVA mates for the initial cost run
much higher than the ones father
and | computed. You insist upon
individual stalls and cork brick
floors, instead of stanchions and
shavings from the lumber camp
for bedding. You want registered
herds where we could have been
satisfied with tuberculin tested
cows. y
Miss Cabrillo has capital for
a three year period only. If
everything goes out in the first
year. she will have nothing to tide
her across unforeseen difficulties.
You say representatives. pay in the
long run. But she has only short
run. in which to make them pay.
Have you thought of that?"
Petersen scratched his blond
thatch. Have II thought of any
thing else?" he groaned. IF l had
trained men to work with me. ]
might dare the risk. But suppose
careless employee failed in his
tests and an inspector found
tuberculosis in a herd. II would
mean the slaughter of the entire
herd: could she afford that? |
could give you a hundred in
stances where carelessness or vim
dictiveness has ruined a dairy
farm"
Constance leaned ward.
"Once before you spoke. of the
weather. now you speak of en-
ployees. Am | to understand the
success of this farm depends upon
these two elements?"
"The human element, Miss Ca
brillo. is in the final analysis re-
sponsible for the success or fall
IRE Of every enterprise Aside
from flood. fires and earthquakes.
we can foresee and combat the
other clements"
Constance thought of Juliano
and his mutineers. and her heart
skipped a frightened beat.
And with the human element
so independable." Pedro was say
ing. shouldn't Miss Cabrillo he
given the final decision as to
whether everything should be
used in the first play?"
They turned to her. but she was
looking out Of the window. An
other decision. Part OF Ell Cabrillo
sorawled below the window. lazy
in the winter sunshine. And in
that moment it seemed to Con-
stance that the ranch was leaning
on her
Michael Mahoney," she said.
looking at Judge Franek. bought
the best beef he could find. He
gambled with fate, He proved
himself in three wears and he had
TO work with pirates. Had he
failed, ri Cabrillo would still have
been the best beef cattle ranch
on the coast. All right. Mr.. Peder-
sen, let's have the best: and il
fail. FL Cahrillo will still be one
of the best dairy ranches in the
country,
Constance saw admiration in
the eyes of only one man. because
she was looking only al Pedro
when she concluded.
She scarcely heard the heated
argument between Peter TAYLOR
senior ard Petersen. over the