Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1944-02-25

l
are cutting and grinding the sugar
cane now. and I'm sure il would in.
terest you. And to his coffee plan.
tation In the mountains. That would
interest you very much too. The
trees are beginning to blossom now.
and they are very beautiful. Per-
haps Miss Haywood would be inter.
ested too She is very intelligent
young lady, Perhaps she is too In
telligent, 1t can be a dangerous
| quality in a womaE. | mean. of
course. that no man wants a WON.
an who"
He broke off abruptly. Pete vii.
cox, trying to look casual and re-
Taxed in 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 chair beside them.
II was Just saying how intelli.
gent your friend Miss Haywood Is,
Miguel" his uncle remarked easily.
Miguel shrugged. Il 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 It without elaboration. Fur
thermore, there was nothing offen-
sive In preferring q girls charm to
her intelligence. Latins weren't the
only ones who did that.
What have you done with the
young ladies. by the way7" Taussig
inquired.
MY cousin Is with some Of my
other cousins. Miss Haywood has
had a firing day. She's gone up
stairs"
Il hope you'll remember your sug-
gestion about the sugar plantation.
I'm sure Miss Haywood would en-.
Joy 1t too"
I'm sure we can arrange II, Mr..
Taussig. I'll speak to my father.
Are you engaged tomorrow"
I'm afraid l am" Taussig said.
THE Army is taking me on a tour
OF the island, stopping at Borinquen
Field for lunch"
Mr.. Taussig bowed to both Of
them. Good night" 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 a 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.
IT you aren't in hurry I wonder
II you'd join me in a nightcap?"
For a 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 sum
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. "And
your" .
II was ordered to Buchanan. But
my orders were cancelled. l was
ready, and thought l 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 your"
Pete asked. 1t sounded as il being
a lawyer in a time like this was
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 Gen.
trail, these days of government regu-
lation. l 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 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 it2"