The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-03-11
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cavalier type of the higher classes in
the south has passed away 1t is i'm.
possible for us who live in this com.
mercial age to understand how much
of the cavalier spirit at that time re-
manned. though it flickered like can.
die before going out.
1t was in the fifties that Helolse
Thibadeaux. u young creole of Lou
isiana, while attending garden party
in New Orleans lost a fan that some
one Of her ancestors had received as n
mark Of favor from the king of France.
A diligent search was made. but the
fan was not recovered. Miss Thiba.
deaux was very much exercised over
the loss and in moment Of impulse
said to several gentlemen who stood
about her discussing the probable
whereabouts of the fan, II will give
to whoever finds it, will give"-
"Yourself?" asked one Of the men.
Eyes, and my fortune"
The words were no sooner uttered
than the lady regretted them as fool
ish. Besides. in those times they were
more liable to be taken seriously than
they would now be, and a lady would
feel it to be more incumbent upon her
to stand by them. The man who had
made the suggestion. Albert Mason,
was a sutton of hers-a sutton she had
no intention Of acceptiDg-and among
no in, fhn II
POnt. whom she felt very much in
clined to accept The reason she had
not done so was because he had not
asked her, and the reason he had not
asked her was because she owned by
Inheritance several sugar plantations
while he was poor. Possibly she had
fallen in with Mason's suggestion in
order to give Du Pont a chance to win
her by finding her fan. There would
at least be an exciting rival search be-
tween him and Mason.
When the next evening Du Pont call
ed on Miss Thibadeaux, she, supposins
he had come to bring her fan. met him
with thrObbing heart. When he fail
ed to speak Of the matter, she said i'm
patiently:
my fan-has it been found?"
1T will be found" he replied sen.
tentiously
A servant entered with the fan and
note from Mason saying: II claim
the first part Of the reward. The Sec
ond. yosr fortune. do not claim"
Miss Thibadeaux was vexed Hav-
ing do re one foolish thing. she proceed
ed to re-enforce it by doing another
Il will give myself" she said excit-
eddy. Ito the man who will prevent my
having to break and yet not keep my
promise"
And then" said Du Point. you will
give yourself to the man who will en-
able you to break honorably with the
new winner"
'"rhe next winner shall receive the
reward, and it shall be given willing
ly."
1t was the averted face rather than
the words that gave him her meaning.
He understood it perfectly. but with
out word of reply left her and went
to the rooms of Albert Mason
Mason" he said. you certainly are
not going to take an advantage of Miss
Thibadeaux in the matter of her FAM
Mason looked surprised. What is
that to you?" he asked.
This: saw Miss Thibadeaux drop
her fan and saw you pick it up. You
had it when you suggested the re-
ward"
Mason paled. II certainly shall not
cannOt-force Miss Thibadeaux to keep
her promise" he said.
you should release her from it,
THAT suggestion should come from
her."
She is just the person it should not
come from
And suppose l refuse?"
II shall make known the fact that
you have taken an unfair advantage
Of lady"
'Have you witnesses"
None that | know off,
'Then it is your word against mine.
But it is not necessary that the lady
should be brought into the affair. You
have accused me of dishOnorable act
l suppose you will not refuse me salts
faction"
Certainly not"
VERY well. after we have settled the
matter between ourselves you are at
liberty to go to Miss Thibadeaux with
your accusation against me"
This was equivalent to saying that
Du POnt would be prevented, for Ma
son had been ont several times and
had always killed his man. The ac-
cusatiOn would die with the accuser.
The next morning at sunrise the two
principals were being placed at a
point short distance up the Missis'
sippi under the levee when clatter
Of hoofs was heard. and Miss Thiba-
deaux, mounted, dashed in between
them.
Gentlemen" she said. 81 know
something as to the cause of this af-
fair; l can infer something, and of the
rest ! am ignorant. Last night lady
came to me and said that she had seen
you. Mr.. Mason. pick up my fan soon
after | had dropped it,"
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