The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-30
What KITTY MEANT
BY r. n. SWEET.

) blanket factory, and would COM
mence work the next morning.
Six months before she had come
home broken wreck-her husband
recently killed In q drunken brawl,
her own life spoiled, as she thought,
by the man against whom she had
been warned. But now. with renewed
health and resolution, she was about
to commence life again, to build up
from the wreck. Halstead listened
quietly until she had finished, then
broke out;
you know there amt no need for
it. Kitty You know I've been wait
In for you to get strong SO l could
say the same thing did before-be-
fore you met him. 1t didn't seem
right to persuade you when you first
came, you was so weak an tired.
But now you're strong again an
know your own mind. An, Kitty
his voice trembling IN spite Of his q.
forts at self-control-''I've been wait
In a good many years. I've never
! felt to marry anybody else"
Her hand rose impetuously, to stop
him.
But you must think to marry
somebody else, Halstead,' she said,
earnestly. You're too good man
to be wasted that way. An you must
stop thinkin' Of me, for it can't ever
be, after-after what's gone by. |
amt much, but couldn't be SO mean
as to harm man like that. Now,
Halstead, please"-touching his arm
as she saw the grim amusement on
his face-"dont make me 60 on feel
in I've ruined your life. There's
| Nelly Bocup. She likes you. an .
Halsted laughed aloud.
mo use talkin' that way, Kitty"
he interrupted. Il want you, an II l
can't have you now, I'm willin to
wait awhile When it gets too hard
l shall grab you up an run so fast
an far you won't be able to get
breath to say no.
I'm sorry, Halstead." There were
tears in Kitty's eyes, but her voice
was firm 81 shan't ever marry any
man to hamper him. 1t won't be no
use for you to wait and ask me
again. ever"
There was much sickness in the
town that fall-a malignant spotted
fever, highly contagious-an one by
one the poorer portions of the town
were put under quarantine. Then one
evening Halstead helped what he
thought to be q drunken man to his
home. and the next day the man came
down with the fever, and within a
week was dead Within an hour az
ter Halstead heard this he was on his
way to the woods for what he said
was to be a few days hunting. In
reality. it was to watch himself.
One morning before people had be-
gun to appear on the streets, he stag
gered to the sidewalk outside the
fence Of his sisters home, where
Kitty boarded.
Mary oh, Mary" he called. Then
when his sister appeared at the door.
Don't come any nearer. You know
that empty cabin up by the big rock.
where we walk sometimes?"
"Yes"
well, l want you to send some food
and water there, soon's you can. I've
got the fever. Wait" raising his
voice little bitterly as she withdrew
hurriedly into the house. There amt
q mite Of danger this far, not for you
nor the children. won't go near the
cabin till you get the things In, SO
it'll be safe. I'll stay off in the woods
a couple Of hours. But please hurry,
for I'm beginnin' to lose sense of
things"
"Halstead!" it was quiet but per-
emptory voice from an upper window.
Halstead raised his eyes and tried to
fix his mind on what he saw there.
Kitty, Kitty" he said, dreamily,
that you? Better go in an shut the
window. Maybe the winds BLOWN
that way"
"Halstead," the voice said slowly
and distinctly, can you 60 straight
to the cabin by YOURSELF"
Course" Indignantly "straights an
arrow. But I'll wait two hours"
NO." peremptorily, you must 60 at
once, straight. | will see about the
food and everything else. I'll have a
doctor there almost as soon as you
are. An I'll have a nurse. I'd make |
you come in here, but there's your sis
ter and her children, an there's chill
dren In both the next houses. So
maybe it wouldn't be best. No go.
straight, straight to the cabin"
Halstead raised his hand to his
forehead undecidedly. But the voice
had been clear and incisive, and just
now 1t Vas easier for him to obey
than to think. So he nodded vaguely
and staggered up the sidewalk. Kitty
watched him anxiously until she re-
allied that, in spite Of his wavering
steps, he was heading toward the
cabin. Then she hurried downstairs.
Mary met her at the foot
What do you mean, Kitty" she
began, wildly: you're not going up
there to him, an then come back to
me an the children? Most every
a,