The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-11
Fair Highwayman.

engaged in the two years since she had
come back from school, beginning with
Cadet Ferris and ending with Cady.
That Captain Foster was exactly like
all the rest of mankind, and little de-
served the blessing he had in his daugh-
ter, was manifested by his drawing from
his pocket a letter. and saying as he gave
it to her: by the by, Kitty, this came
for you yesterday while you were riding
with ady, and 1 forgot 10 give it 10
YOU"
Miss FosCter looked at the postmark
and at the almost feminine chirography.
and knew that the letter was from Fort
Bowie, and from Glocester. She laid it
beside her plate and finished her break
fast. Afterward she took it up TO her
own room and read it. Then she sat with
folded hands and looked unseeing, at the
photographs Of the fifteen upon the wall
before her. She was white.
The most astute woman will frequently
stake everything and play all her game
upon honor in man. When that chances
. TO fail, her calculations are set at naught,
and the bottom falls out 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, 10 prevent his
being made the fool that I have been,
l have taken the liberty Of sending 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, fourteen 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 prevented
her from writing to Glocester more affec-
tiOnately than prudently, in order 70 keep
him-tother dear charmer who was away
upon her string. so long as it would
hold him without swapping. And the
letters, sent while she was actually en-
gagged to Cady, were going TO fall into
his hands. 1t was a desperate situation.
But, for all her blue eyes, and curls. and
bewildering ways, Miss Foster was the
woman to meet it.
After a time she rose to her feet and
set her lips. 1t is a popularity of Gu
pid's bow lips that they can set, upon
occasions. She knew that Cady had not
yet received those letters. And she de-
termined 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 her curls and
walked down to the postoffice. Fate,
with her partially for the brave and fair,
willed that the postmaster should have
left his desk. Miss Foster pushed open
the gate and went behind the rail. The
keys to the mailn-bag hung upon their
hook. She put them in her pocket. When
the postmaster came back she was plac-
idly marking his clean blotter with the
letter stamp.
MIR ha eaid
ST want this letter registered"
An hour later Miss Foster refined up
her horse on the top of rise and looked
across the fiat stretch Of greasewood and
cactus, and sage. Far away a tiny speck
was crawling toward her along the white
road. II was the stage. She had been born
upon the plains, and she had an unfailing
eye for its distances. There would be full
half an hour to wait. She cast about
for some way OF killing time and found
a deep, wide fissure in the parched earth.
It appealed to her daring. She put her
horse to a run and jumped it time and
again until he was winded. The stage was
near. She dismounted, felt of the girths,
and sat down, hugging the tiny monday
shade of a mesquite bush, for the sun
was burning down from hard. blue
sky. A big red ant was carrying a bee
tie > WIFE IIlduE lluSS gel lAlcAh -boCiL=
Kitty watched 1t 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 horses black TANKS.
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
Whatever Miss kitty" the driver
stopped short. He saw the horse grazing
off a bunch of stumpy grass hundred
yards away. Kitty went a step nearer
and laid her hand on the wheel. She had
seen that there was no woman in the
stage. A woman would have upset 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.
at was lust out for a little ride" said
Kitty. land my girls were loose. so dis
mounted TO cinch up and that horrid
Dandy got away. II you had not come
1 don't know whatever I should have
mis- Miss Foster would noe have been til.
DOMAIN she was If tears-the genii of the
lamp of fair femininity-had not risen
at her will. The driver looked again at
the horse and back at Miss Foster. He
had known her from the day of her birth.
When he was IN his first enlistment, long
before he had returned 10 civil life. he
had been her fathers striker. He had
held her upon burro and taught her 10
ride before she could walk. Therefore,
he was justly annoyed. For the clever
est conspirator is apt 20 overlook de-
tail. and Kitty had forgotten that the
horse OF q good rider. which has broken
away. should have the bride over its
head.
I'm sure. Miss kitty" he said, that
II weren't me learned you 10 leave the
reins hooked over the pOmmel when you
| dismounted-and I should have thought
| you could have mounted alone any
| where's"
Kitty flushed. OF ali things she was
| proudest Of her horsemanshiD.
| "Do you think. o'Rourke. that you
! could catch Dandy for me?'
| 81 dunno" said ORourke, faint so
! easy TO catch a horse when the reins is
| over the pOmmel."
! But ne wound the lines around the
| brake and Jumped down. The passenger
| was not 10 be outdone. He jumped down,
/ too. and together they went trotung
/ across the plain.
! Kitty had seen others try TO catch Dan
| dy She climbed leisureiy into the stage
/ and dragged the mail pouch from under
! the seat. She was frightened now. and
| cold and trembling, and she threw quick
| gances to where O'Rourke and the pas
/ senger were advancing, and rstrestlng.
/ and deploying-neyer within arms reach
| OF Dandy. When she had slowed away
/ In the crown Of her cap q small package
/ postmarked Bowie and addressed 20 CadJ
! IN pointed. sprawlins, almost ZEN zine
/ hand. she snapped the lock She had Jet
/ the keys il the bag. Fer she knew taa'
/ the postmaster had duplicates. Then she