Evening journal., 1899-02-15
HIGHWAY ROBBERY
By Gwendolen overton.


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 restof mankind, and little deserved
the blessing he had in hisdaughter, was
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 it
10 YOU"
Miss Foster looked at the postmark
and at the almost feminine chirog-
raphy. and knew that the letter was
from Fort Bowie. and from Glocester.
She laid it beside her plate and finished
her breakfast Afterward she took it
up to her own room and read il. 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.
quently 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 cg, OF
her universe.
And Glocester's honor had failed.
He wrote-Kitty read it again-"So
YOU tell me you are engaged to Cady.
That means little TO you. But it may
mean much TO 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 he
has 10 deai."
Now, IA times before, Miss Foster had
not been in earnest. But this time she
was. Unfortunately, the fact that she
cared greatly for Cady had not pre-
vented her from writing to Glocester
more affecuonately than prudenuy, in
order to keep him-t'other dear charm
er who was away-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 o
desperate situation. But, for all her
blue eyes and curls, and bewildering
ways. Miss Foster was the woman 10
meet il.
After a time she rose to her feet and
set 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 a big hat a-tilting upon hei
eurls and walked down 10 the post Of
fee. Fate. with her partiality for TIL
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 mail
bag hung upon their hook. She pu
them in her pocket. When the post
master came back she was placidll
marking his clean blotter with the let
ter stamp.
If you please. Mr.. Jones" she said
II want this letter registered"
An hour later Miss Foster refined NJ
her horse on the top of q rise ant
looked across the fat stretch of grease
wood, and cactus. and sage. Far ava.
tiny speck was crawling toward he
along the plains andsbe had an unfail
ing eve for its distances. There woul
be full half an hour to wait. She cas-
about for some way of killing time. an
found q deep, wide fissure in tn
parched earth. 1t appealed to her dal
ing. She put her horse to a run an
Jumped il time and again until he wa
winded. Then she rode again to til
crest of the slope. The stage was neal
She dismounted. felt of the girths. ar
sat down. hugging the tiny noonda
shade of a mesquite bush, for the si
was burning down from a hard. blu
sky. A big red ant was carrying
beetles wing many times larger tha
itself. Kitty watched it until she hear
the rattle of traces as the stage climbe
the other side Of the slope. Then 81
commended her soul to Heaven an
brought her quirt down upon IL
horses black fanl1s
The stage driver drew up his stoc
and the one passenger putout his hea
and shoulders and gazed at the slendl
gray figure rising alone in the mid
Of the prairie.
'What ever, Miss Kitty" the driv
stopped short. He saw the horse gra
ing or bunch Of stumpy grass, hu
dred yards away. Kitty went a ST
nearer and laid her hand on the whe'
She had seen that there was no woms
in the stage. A woman would have Il
set all her calculations. She raised h
big blue eyes. The men who could ha
resisted them were few. Those ia {
stage listened now to a tale calculat
70 melt heart of stone
81 was just out for a little ride" sa
Kitty. "and my girths were loose. $,
d:smounted TO cinch up. and that hS
rid Dandy got away If you had n
come I don't know whatever shot
have done"
Miss Foster would not have been I
woman she was If tears-the genii
the lamp Of fairy femininity-had i
-