The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-11-12

14C OAOhC OAA eARA 6ktys W. wa
cox, trying to look casual and re-
Taxed in a wrought-iron chair that
was not designed for either, was
listening intently. There was some
thing in Diego Gongaro's tone that
implied a meaning underlying the
superficial conversational one. He
was watching the center arch, and
Pete, glancing around, saw Miguel
Valera come out into the patio and
pull up a chair beside them.
II was just saying how intelli-
gent your friend Miss Haywood Is,
Miguel" his uncle remarked easily.
Miguel shrugged. II don't know
about that. She's very charming,
certainly"
There was no reason to get hot
under the collar, Pete told himself.
Maybe Anne was deliberately con-
cealing her intelligence. Sometimes
she did 1t without elaboration. Fur
thermore, there was nothing often
sive in preferring girls charm to
her intelligence. Latins weren't the
only ones who did that.
what have you done with the
young ladies, by the way?" Taussig
inquired.
my cousin is with some of my
other cousins. Miss Haywood has
had a firing day. She's gone up
stairs"
II hope youth remember your sug-
gestion about the sugar plantation.
I'm sure Miss Haywood would en-
Joy it too"
"I'm sure we can arrange 1t, Mr..
Taussig. I'll speak to my father.
Are you engaged tomorrow"
"I'm afraid am" Taussig said.
''The Army is taking me on tour
of the island, stopping at Borinquen
Field for lunch"
Mr.. Taussig bowed to both OF
them. Goodnight" he said.
Miguel Valera turned to his uncle
and spoke again rapidly. Pete
caught Graciela's name and "casa,"
and decided that Miguel was telling
his uncle to take the girl home. AT
any rate Gongaro left. Miguel and
Pete were alone in the patio, and
the light in Anne's window was still
on. Pete, watching with kind OF
forlorn hope for one brief glimpse of
even her shadow on the screen, try
ing to make up his mind not to 60
and call her up just to hear her
voice and know she was there, start
ed to get up. AS he did Valera rose
and came across the grass.
"Good evening, Captain" he said.
eff you aren't in hurry I wonder
if you'd join me in nightcap?"
For moment the two Of them
stood facing each other, the Latin
tall and slender with gray eyes and
black hair, the Saxon tall, lean and
rangy with hazel eyes and sun
bleached, tow-colored hair, each
taking the others measure.
"Thanks," Pete said. "Glad to-"
They sat down. Miguel called the
waiter.
"You're at Headquarters, I under
stand" he said when he had Or
dered.
"That's right" Pete said. Sand
your"
II was ordered to Buchanan. But
my orders were cancelled. ! was
ready, and thought might as well
come home. 1t was too cold in New
York for me anyway. I'd been up
for several months on business for
my father"
you're lawyer, aren't yon?"
Pete asked. 1t sounded as if being
lawyer in a time like this was a
little like being a snake in the grass,
which was not what he had meant.
Miguel laughed.
"a sort of lawyer. You have to
know law to manage sugar Cen
trail, these days Of government regu-
lation. / don't practice"
"Politics?"
"Politics is in Latin blood" Mig.
uel answered. ''Red corpuscles,
white corpuscles and politics. 1t
means everything down here"
"What about your father? Has he
been in political officer"
mo. My father isn't a United
States citizen. After the. American
occupation we were given the choice
of accepting citizenship or remain
ing Spanish. My father chose to
retain his own citizenship. A good
many people did. What do you call
them--diehards, isn't it,"
"Are they the ones who don't like
the United States?" Pete asked.
Valera hesitated.
"Would they like to see Spain
back?"
Miguel Valera shrugged. II sup
pose there's the dream of seeing the
scarlet and gold of Spain flying from
Ell MORO. It's natural enough for
the people who are predominantly
Spanish. If the United States were
conquered, you would just wait the
chance to kick your conquerors out.
Sand what about the National
ists?" Pete asked.
Miguel shook his head. "The ca
Clique, or leader Of the party in pow
er, has said Nationalism is not an
;cc,,a Of the r,reSant d0n't think