St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-02-04
HIGHWAY ROBBERY
By Gwendolen overton.
THAT Miss Foster was differen.

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THAT Miss Foster was differenr
from ard more charming than al
the rest of her sex might have beer
proved from any of the l5 men 10 whom
she had been engaged in the two year:
since she had come back from school
beginning with Cadet Ferris and end
ing with CaGy.
That Capt. Foster was exactly like II
.hc rest of mankind. and little deserved
the blessing he had in his daughter. wa
manifested by his drawing from his
pocket a letter. and saying as he gave
it 10 her: by the bye. Kitty. this came
for you yesterday while YOU were rid
ing with Cady, and / forgot 10 give il
TO- YOU.
Miss Foster looked at the postmark
and at the almost feminine chirog.
raphy. and knew fha; the letter wa>
IRON Fort Bowie. and from Glocester.
She laid it beside her plate ard finished
her breakfast. Afierward she took ii
np to her own room and read It. Then
kEe sat with folded hands and looked.
unseeing. at the photographs Ct the Is
upon the wall before her. She was very
white.
The most astute woman will fire.
onently stake everything and play all
her game of honor in man. When that
chances to fail. her calculations are set
at naugh;. and the bottom falls out Of
her universe.
And Glocestcr's honor had failed.
He wrote-kitty read il agair-"So
You tell me you are engaged to Cady.
That means little 10 you. But it may
mean much 10 him. Therefore, TO pre-
vent his being made the fool that have
been, / have taken the liberty of send
ing him BY this mail the letters you
have written to me within the last
month--four in number-that he may
know with what manner of woman he
has TO deal
Now. IA times before. Miss Foster had
not been in earnest. But this time she
was. Unfortunately, the fac: that she
cared greatly for Cady had not pre-
vented her from writing to Giocester
more affect;onately than prudently, in
order to keep Eim-t'other dear charm
er who was awa.-upon her string. so
long as it 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 her
blue eyes. and curls. aid bewildering
ways. Miss Foster was the woman to
meet it.
After a time She rose to her feet and
sat her lips. 1t is a popularity OF
Cupid's bow lips that they can set. upon
occasions. She knew that Cady had not
yet received those letters. And she de-
tcrmincd that he never should. She
would rob the stage.
Guard-mounting was just over. and
the stage was not due until noon.
Kitty set big hat a-,ilting upon her
curIs and walked down to the post Of
fee. Fate. with her partiali;y for the
brave and fair. willed tha; the pos:mas-
ter should have left his desk. Miss Fos-
ter pushed open the gate and went be-
hind the rail. The keys to the mail
bag hung upon their hook. She put
them in her pocket. When the post
master came back she was placidly
marking his clean blotter with the let
ter stamp.
IF you please. Mr. Jones'" She said.
II war, this letter registered
An hour later Miss Foster reined ut
her horse on the top OF rise and
looked across the fat stretch Of grease
wood, and cactus. and sage. Far away
tiny speck was crawling toward her
along the plains. and she had an unfai.-
ing eye for its distances. There would
be full half an hour TO wait. She cast
about Tor some way of killing time. anG
found deep. wide fissure in the
parched earth. II appealed to her Gar-
ing. She put her horse to a run and
windea. Then she rode again to ths
crest of the slope. The stage was near
She dismoun.ed. felt Of the girths. aE,:
~; down. hugging the tiny MONDAY
shade OF mesquite bush. for the sun
was burning down from hard. blue
sky. \ big red ant was carrying q
beetles wing many times larger than
itself. Kitty watched ii until she heard
the rattle of traces as the stage climbed
the other side of the slope. Then she
commended her soul TO Heaven and
brought her quirt down upon the
tp,Se.< hIack Hanl~
The stage driver drew up his stock.
and the one passenger put out his head
and shoulders and gazed at the slender
gray figure rising alone in the midst
Of the prairie.
What ever. Miss Kitty" the driver
stopped short. He saw the horse graz
ing off a bunch Of stumpy grass. a hur
dred yards away. Kitty went step
nearer and laid her hand on the wheel.
She had seen that there was no woman
in the stage. 4 woman would have up
set all her calculations. She raised her
big blue eyes. The men who could have
resisted them were few. Those in the
stage listened now to a tale calculated
to melt heart Of stone.
L was just out for little ride. said
Kitty, "and my girths were loose. 50
dismounted 10 cinch up. and that hor-
rid Dandy got away. IL YOU had not
come ! don't know whatever ! should
hare ione."