Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-04-27
Lady Kitty
Temptation
BY lola FORESTER

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e Copyright, 1901, bv Isold ForTester 1
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They rode slowly, Lady Kitty some
what ahead, probably because the
trail is narrow and treacherous below
Lost Moon, possibly SO that Allison
should not see her face.
Half a mile back they had ridden
side by side. The trail had been wider
then. Lady Kitty did not care to re-
member any other reason fer the
proximity, but the flush on her cheeks
and the slightest possible tilt to her
chin belied her powers Of forgetful-
ness.
AS for Allison, he was shamelessly
self possessed and at ease. She had
even caught him whistling as they
turned into Red Mountain gulch, and
when she had deliberately ridden
ahead he had not tried to join her.
Lady Kitty felt irritated by the i'm
penitence expressed in his confident
attitude and also by the knowledge
that he was looking at her. 1t is not
pleasant to feel a persons steady gaze
behind one If 1t had been any one
else she would certainly have reported
his unpardonably rude conduct to
Major Dick, but she couldn't report
Allison. The major would laugh at
her. More than that-and Lady Kit
tvs flush deepened-the major would
say the young cub had more grit than
he gave him credit for, and when any
one as charming and deliciously low
able as Lady Kitty had firted with
and encouraged such a man as Bob
Allison she must expect the worst
or the best, according to her point Of
view. The major could be very ag-
gravating.
And she had not firted with Alli-
son; not at all. II they chose to call
common social civilities flirting in this
barbarous land of the lariat and cow
pony she was not to blame. 1t had
been lonesome at Lost Moon, or, rather,
by the time the majors party had
reached the ranch Lady Kitty had
seen so many lariats and COW ponies
that the novelty had begun to pail, and
Allison had loomed up as a welcome
distraction-she had almost said "at-
traction" to herself.
He was good to look at, this tall,
lean, strong young westerner, with his
sunburn a cross tint between tan and
brick dust and his straight, close lips
opening in quick, unexpected smiles
and showing white, square teeth like
new corn.
She had seen him first when he came
to meet them at the little lopsided
pine board depot at Omri. She had
stood on the platform when the train
drew In, and over the majors dove col
ored sombrero she had caught
glimpse of silent, erect figure on a
black pony, his hat pulled down over
his eyes, his chin up, as he leisurely
surveyed their party. She had liked
the clear. cool glance of his gray eyes.
There was something SO sereneiy well
balanced and self sufficient In their ex-
preston when they met hers that Lady
Kitty had felt pleasurable tingle of
expectancy, as though the charm Of her
femiDinity had received a challenge.
There was no doubt but what she had
met it. 1t had not seemed serious,
merely part of the trip. He had not
appeared worth considering, like the
other men, who, as the major neatly
put 1t, had appreciated their blessings
when Lady Kitty had smiled on them.
She had felt that in day or so she
could nod goodby and leave him with
Al D<I
mountain itself, with its gorgeous, sun
set tinted, sandstone peak. She had
not taken the man himself into consid-
Grafton at all, and now, suddenly, with
out word of warning, the man had
leaned from his saddle and had kissed
her.
she tried to forget to remember the
awful moment, but its few details
danced through her mind insistently.
There had been long silence after she
had told him they were going away
from Lost Moon in the morning The
party was going through Arizona-the
major, Mrs. Major and the major mi
nors, all girls, and herself. From Ari-
Zona they would go back to England.
And suddenly the black pony had
drawn nearer to her own brown mus
tang, and Allison's arm had swung
around her, and he had kissed her. In
cidentally Lady Kitty was uncertain
that she had not No. she had not, she
told herself positively. She had only
permitted him to kiss her, but that
was quite enough. And that was not
all--not quite all. She had said some
thing to him.
Il might have expected that person
like you would do that sort Of thing"
She had meant to crush and humil-
late him, and he had laughed and let
her ride on ahead. She wondered un-
easily whether or not there was any
reason for his cheerfulness. Had she
or had she not kissed him? In the
suddenness of the attack and the curl
Gus contentment she had felt at being
summarily roped and branded so to
speak, by him she had forgotten en-
tirely Just how far she had revealed
that curious contentment.
"Wait, please"
Allison's voice made her pull up
SuOFI ne TOue up DtSlue ueT. Lie
trail widened slightly and took sud
den header into the gulch.
I'VE can't get by here" he said.
'There has been a washout. Well
have to 20 back and strike up the
mountain to Pop Booty's. There's a
path from his place down to the trail
on the other side"
Lady Kitty did not answer. Her
lips were half parted, and she looked
off Mt the distant foothills dreamily.
England seemed more than half
world away. So did the major and
Che others. A curious sense OF deli
cious peril possessed her. 1t was the
first time In her life that she had not
felt sure of herself so far as a man
was concerned. Just now she had u
wild. Joyous belief that IL this west
erner were to ask her to be his wife
she would say "Yes." She wondered
Il he would.
If they were only not going tomor-
row; If only there were not home and
her father and Rodney-of course
Rodney. She almost laughed out loud
10 think all at once how completely
he had gone out of her life the last
week. And they were to be married In
Easter week next spring. Poor old
Rodney. She looked at the figure