Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1914-10-22

| SiSueu W ldht htt lutO uihhti III cNch
ing or two after the temporary defeat
OF the merger bill.
Among the privileges enjoyed by
| those who were crowned with Kitty's
royal favor was license 10 ride with
her in the mornings.
She was unconventional as to grooms.
On the morning Kittinger rode with
her, for the fourth or fifth time since
their more intimate acquaintance be-
gan, they went alone.
1t was mad riding from the begin
ming. Kitty intended that 1t should
be. 1t is useless TO excuse or extenu-
ate her conduct. Any defense would
fall below the documentary evidence
OF her guilt in the form OF scrubbed
note to Colonel Moulton dispatched the
night before. 1t said:
Call up your bill early tomorrow. He
| will be absent part of the session.
KITTY.
The start was early. and they were a
| good distance from town when Kitty
saw the young senator look at his
watch. AS he shut IL with a determin-
Cd snap lhC hOioC AhAhAy iOAO eafO
an unexpected jump, and the bride
broke. The spirited black went into
the air. then sped wildly down the
road, headed from town. Kitty cast a
wild, appealing glance behind her. with
a pitiful little cry, and chung to the
saddle.
For perhaps a mile Kittinger was
an accident which could not have been
planned, however dark view is taken
Of Kitty's conduct A team. dragging
a long timber wagon. occupied nearly
all of the narrow highway. The black
swerved suddenly, and Kitty landed in
a heap at the side Of the road.
Kittinger had forgotten the senate,
the merger bill, his public duties, every
thing except Kitty's danger He ran
to her and lifted her In his arms, and
he was conscious of a great thrill of
JOY and relief, for she opened her eyes
and spoke.
I'm not hurt in the least" she said.
feet she promptly sank back into Kit.
fingers arms and tainted dead away.
W.
Kittinger reached the senate cham
Der an hour after the merger bill had
been called up and passed. Extras
were already in the street announc-
ing it.
Kittinger was furious. He rose to
n question Of personal privilege and
denounced the proceeding as das-
tardly trick. The leader of the ma
jority. in reply, declared that he was
surprised and grieved at the unwar-
ranted charge. He disliked, however,
to impute malice to any one, and
therefore he would put 1t down to the
youth and ineXperience of the senator
Kittinger, unconvinced. marched out
of the chamber and down TO the office
of Colonel Moulton. That genial gen.
tleman, however, was not present 10
listen TO his denunciation. The room
was empty, but Kittinger's eye took
in at single glance a scrap Of paper
carelessly left lying on the chairman's
desk. 1t was Kitty's note to Moulton.
and the single glance told Kittinger its
contents.
He knew the handwriting He knew
the signature. He rushed out of the
room with feelings hard to describe.
V.
For three days an impatient young
woman with plaster cast on her an
kle sat up in bed at frequent inter
walls to look at cards which came with
deluges of flowers and fruits and dain-
ty trifies, only to fling them aside and
sink back again to her pillows. wholly
unsatisfed.
When the doctor announced her re-
covery from the shock and permitted
her to be dressed 1t was a penitent and
remorseful Kitty who wrote a pitiful
little note to Senator Kittinger. She said
that she had a confession to make
and would be please come to her and
listen to It; after which he alone should
decide what was to be done.
Senator Kittinger came. His indig-
nation lasted until he reached the room
where she awaited him. propped up
with pillows. She was quite pale, and
she extended a wan little hand to him
timidly, for she was not sure that he
would take IL.
He did take IL, and on the instant
all his anger died out, for he saw again
the great black horse with bride dan
Cling, laundering down the highway
and after a huddled little figure lying
by the roadway and not stirring for
what seemed an eternity until he lift
ed ii in his arms.
And so he held the small hand tight
ly and went down on one knee beside
her, and the only words OF reproach
which he spoke were:
Kitty. Kitty. how could you? Ii
was terrible. You might have killed
yourselfr'
"WaitY' she said You do not know
how bad am-how wickedw
Eyes, do" he mumbled through the
small fingers. But she did not heed.
You think that | was reckless.