Evening journal., 1899-06-21
\
| HIGHWAY ROBBERY
'- sSki# SS&flS
! BY Gwendolen overton-
Ssssas Sssass'asaas
BY Gwendolen Overton


proved from any of the IS men TO whom
the had been engaged in the two years
since she had come back from school.
beginning with Cadet Ferris and end
ing with Cady.
That Capt. Foster was exactly like all
the rest Of mankind. aud little deserved
the blessing he had In hisdaughter was
manifested by his drawing from his
pocket a letter. and saying as he gave
1t TO her: by the bye Kitty, this came
for you yesterday while you were rid
Ing with Cady. and ! forgot TO give 1t
10 you"
Miss Foster looked at the postmark
and at the almost feminine chirog-
raphy. and knew iha; the letter was
from Fort Bowie. and from GloceSter.
She laid II beside her plate and finished
her breakfast Afterward she took Il
up TO her own room and read H. Then
she sat with folded hands and looked.
unseeing. at the photographs Of the IS
upon the wall before her She WIS very
white.
The most astute woman Will fire.
lquently stake everything and play all
her game Of honor in man. When that
chances to fail. her calculations are set
at naught. and the bottom falls out OF
her universe.
And Glocestcr's honor had failed.
He wrote--Kitty read II again-"So
you tell me you are engaged to Cady
That means little 10 you. But II may
mean much 10 him. Therefore, to pre-
vent his being made the fool that have
been. I have taken the liberty Of send
ing him by this mail the letters you
have written 10 me within the last
month-four IN number-that he may
know with what manner OF woman be
has TO deal"
Now. IA times before. Miss Foster had
not been IN earnest. But this time shs
was. Unfortunately, the fact that she
cared greatly for Cady had not pre-
vented her from writing to GlocesteI
more affeciionately than prudently. In
order to keep him-t'other dear charm
er who was away-upon her string. s.
long as II would hold him without
swapping. And the letters. sent while
she was actually engaged to Cady, were
going TO fall into his hands. 1t was {
desperate situation. But for all hei
blue eyes. and curls. and bewilderinl
ways, Miss Foster was the woman 4
meet Il.
, After a time she rose to her feet an'
set her lips. 1t Is a peculiarlty o
= Cupid's bow lips that they can set. upoi
occasions. She knew that Cady had NO
! yet received those letters. And she de
lermincd that he never should. sh
would rob the stage.
Guard-mounting was just over, an
the stage was not due until noon
Kitty set a big hat a-tilting upon he
rurls and walked down TO the post OF
nce. Fate, with her partiality for III
brave and fair, willed that the postmas
ter should have left his desk. Miss Eos
ter pushed open the gate and went be
: hind the rail- Tho keys TO the mai
bag hung upon their hook. She. pu
them in her pocket. When the pos
master came back she was plaoidl
: marking his clean blotter with the lei
S ter stamp.
d III you please, Mr.. Jones" she sai'
y "I want this letter registered"
!, An hour later Miss Foster reineri II
> her horse on the top Of rise an
$ looked across the fat stretch OF grease
wood. and cactus. and sage. Farawa
e a tiny speck was crawling toward be
4 along the plains andshe had an unfai
l. ing eve for its distances There woul
d be full half an hour 10 wait. She cas-
o about for some way of killing time. an
5 found a deep. wide fissure In th
l. parched earth. II appealed to her da
r. ing. She put her horse TO a run an
5 Jumped it time and again until he wa
a winded. Then she rode again to tn
4 crest of the slope. The stage was nea
n She dismounted. felt Of the girths. an
sat down. hugging the tiny noonda
e shade of a mesquite bush, for the 81
d was burning down from hard. blu
e sky. A big red ant was carrying
IL beetles wing many times larger tina
Is itself. Kitty watched IL until she hear
4 the rattle of traces as the stage climbe
p the other side Of the slope Then 81
r. commended her soul to Heaven an
.e brought her quirt down upon Il
n horses black fanl1s
,r The stage driver drew up his stoc
and the one passenger put out his hea
q and shoulders and gazed at the slend
n gray figure rising alone in the mid
y of the prairie.
10 ''What ever. Miss Kitty" the driv
.r stopped short. He saw the horse gra
+ ing of bunch Of stumpy grass. hu
h dred yards away. Kitty went a st'
nearer and laid her hand on the whe'
She had seen that there was no womI
in the stage. A woman would have u
n set all her calculations. She raised b
re big blue eyes. The men who could ha
ID resisted them were few. Those in q
a. stage listened now 10 a tale calculat
1 TO melt a heart OF stone.
- 81 was just out for little ride. " sn
y Kitty, "and my girths were loose. *
I. dismounied 10 cinch up. and that be
~ rid Dandy got away. II you had II
- come I don't know whatever shou
Is have done"
- Miss Foster would not have been (
y woman she was II tears-the genh
!. the lamp of fairy femininity-ha n
AZ risen at her will. The driver look