The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-10
Love and
Highway Robbery.

peen engaged in the two years since
she had come back from school begin
ming 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
daughter, was masifested by his draw
ing from his pocket letter and saying
as he gave 1t to her: by the by, Kit
ty' this came for you yesterday while
you were riding with Cady, and for
got to give 1t to ou."
Miss Foster looked at the postmark
and at the almost feminine chirography
and knew that the letter was from
Fort Bowie and from Glocester. She
laid 1t beside her plate and finished
her breakfast. Afterward she took II
UP to her own room and read It. Then
she sat with folded hands and looked,
unseeing, at the photographs Of the
fitteen upon the wall before her. She
was very white.
The most astute woman will fire.
quently 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 Glocesters honor had failed. He
wrote-Kitty read 1t again-"So YOU
tell me you are engaged to Cady.
That means little to you. But il means
much to him. Therefore, to prevent
his being made the fool that I have
been, I 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, 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 Clio
cester more affectionately than pru-
dent, in order to keep him-t'other dear
charmer who was away-upon her
string, so long as 1t would hold him
without swapping. And the letters,
sent while she was actually engaged to
Cady, We're going to fall into his hands.
1t was desperate situation. But, for
all her blue eyes, and curls, and be-
wildering ways, Miss Foster was the
woman to meet it.
After time she rose to her feet and
set her lips. 1t is popularity of
Cupid SHOW lips that they can set upon
occasions. She knew that Cady had
not yet received those letters And she
determined 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-tilting upon her curls
and walked down to the postoffice.
Fate, with her partiality 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 mail bag
hung upon their hook. She put them
in her pocket. When the postmaster
came back she was placidly marking
his clean blotter with the letter stamp.
IF you please, Mr. Jones'" she said,
Il want this letter registered"
An hour later Miss Foster reined up
her horse on the top of a rise and
looked across the Hat stretch of grease
wood, and cactus and sage. Far away
a tiny speck was crawling toward her
| along the white road. 1t was the stage,
She had been born upon the plains, and
she had an unfailng eye for its dis
tances. 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. II
appealed to her daring. She put her
horse to a run and jumped 1t time and
again until he was winded. Then she
rode again TO the crest Of the slope
The stage was near. She dismOunted,
| felt of the girths, and sat down, hug
| ging the tiny MONDAY shade of a mes
| quite bush, for the sun was burning
down from hard, blue sky. A big red
ant was carrying a beetles wing many
| times larger than itself. Kitty watched
| it 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 flanks.
The stage driver drew up his stock
and the one passenger put out his head
and shoulders and gazed at the slender
gray figure riding 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 hun
dred yards away. Kitty went a ster
nearer and laid her hand on the wheel
| 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 tale calcu'
| lated to melt heart of stone.
II was just out for little ride" said
Kitty, land my girths were loose, SC
I dismounted to cinch up, and that
horrid Dandy got away. If you hac
not come I don't know whatever
| should have done"
! Miss Foster would not have been the
woman she was If tears-the genii OF
the lamp of fair feminity-had not risen
| at her will. The driver looked again
| at the horse and back at Miss Foster
| He he'd known her from the day of heT
| birth. When he was in his first enlist
ment, long before he had returned ia
| civil life he had been her fathers strik-
.er. He had held her upon burro and
taught her to ride before she could
walk Therefore he was justly an
noyed. For the cleverest conspirator is
apt TO overlook detail, and Kitty had
| forgotten that the horse OF a good
rider, which has broken away should
have the bride over it's head.
"I'm sure, Miss Kitty" he said, that
II wernt me learned you to leave the
reins hooked over thepommel when you
| dismounted-and I should have thought
you could have mounted alone any
where"
Kitty flushed. OF all things she was
proudest of her horsemanship.
do you think, O'Rourke, that you
| could catch Dandy for me?"
IT dunno" said O'Rourke "tain't SO