The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-11-14
Two Rings
The One Led to the
Other
Nv r a MITcHEL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

By F. a. mitchell

/ n OORyAA8aN W <1AhCA ASaAA 4 CoD <AnSO~
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S-s-s-issss-i-i-s-l-s-si-
In the city Of Charleston during the
middle Of the last century young girl
sat in a window opening on to gar
den. She was not one of the delicate,
willowy creatures of whom poets love
to sing, but magnificently formed, tall
woman with a remarkably handsome
face. Though the year was nearly
spent, the leaves on the trees had not
yet all fallen, and balmy breeze came
up from the south. The garden into
which Margaret Lemoine looked be-
longed to an adjoining house, and two
| gentlemen We're smoking on a rustic
bench almost directly beneath the win
dow she occupied. They were both
young men of the world and were chat
ting about social matters. Charles Thi-
badeaux was speaking.
1.-The northern city 1 most fancy in
America" he said, sis New York. At
least it is to me less Objectionable, puri-
tanically considered, than other north
ern cities. But my delight is our own
beloved New Orleans. In the Crescent
City the men are brave to recklessness
and the women are beautiful. l spent
last winter there"
"Who was the most beautiful woman
In New Orleans society last winterf"
asked the speakers companion, Ed
ward Remington.
"The most beautiful woman, to my
thinking, was a widow-a Mrs. Lee
moline. Though nearly forty, she retain
ed her youthful appearance. She was
queenly beauty. tall, splendidly formed
and with a face devoid of single
wrinkle. But l am sorry to say there
were unpleasant things said about her
Some past indiscretion had cast
blemish upon her good name"
Margaret Lemoine paid no attention
to what the young men were saying
till she heard her mothers name
spoken; then naturally she pricked
up her ears. When she heard the as
persion cast upon her mothers good
name the blood rushed to her cheeks
and her eyes lit with a sudden fire.
She leaned forward to hurl back the
accusation, but words failed her. The
young men, unconscious Of what was
above them, smoked on. Miss Lemoine
withdrew from the window and began
to pace the floor
ut is time" she said, that this
woman's slanderers received a check
But how? Oh. that she were a man and
were a man! Women are defenseless
against each other Men can at least
die in defense Of their good name. II
Tom had lived he could have made this
man who has treated mothers good
name so lightly eat his words. Why
was not born masculineT
Yielding to an impulse, she seated
herself before writing desk and
dashed off the following:
have overheard your aspersions on the
good name of one love and respect |
demand whatever Of satisfaction you may
be able to afford me. Since prefer to
remain incognito / shall conduct my own
side Of this affair If you are not a cow
aAu WAAto iuc iiihhAuB al appointment Tor
a meeting MARK RENARD.
Hastily folding the paper on which
this communication was ineonsider-
ately written, Margaret went to the
window and tossed it at the feet Of
the young men. Both reached for 1t.
but Thibadeaux secured it. Then after
glance upward and with no sight of
any one who might have thrown it he
read its contents aloud to his friend.
The two looked at each other with
serious expression.
Ned" snid Thibadeaux presently.
Il don't like the situation"
Nor !. In listening to your re-
marks I am as culpable as you who
have made them"
"You have nothing to do with the
matter. The responsibility rests on
me-"
After a conference it was decided
that Thibadeaux should write a note
to this Mark Renard, whoever he
might be, and it should be left at the
door Of the house from which the note
had been thrown. 1t said that the
writer acknowledged himself to be
blamable in repeating scandal for
which he had no proof and apologized
therefor. If after this apology Mr..
Renard still insisted on meeting his
demand could not be denied. A reply
would be looked for the next after
noon, sent in the same way as the
first message.
Naturally Thibadeaux was DESTROYS
Of knowing something of the mystic
rious challenger. EARLY In the after
noon appointed for the reply he took
position behind the blinds of a win
dow commanding view OF the house
from whence it should come. In time
he saw shutter open just far enough
for hand to pass through and toss a
note on to the bench on which he had
sat the day before. The distance was
too great for him to discover that the
hand was delicately formed, but he
saw something that astonished him
The sunlight striking it was sent back
In bright flash. Evidently Mr.. Re
nard wore jeweled ring.
Men seldom wear rings unless they
are seals, which are not likely to spar
kle. Therefore Charles Thibadeaux
was not long in divining that his
correspondent was a woman. All
thoughts of a bloody encounter van
ished, and In their place. came a de-
sire to know more Of his fair chal-
lenger. He sauntered into the garden,
picked up the note and, returning to
his room, read it:
Only one devoid OF sense Of honor will
speak lightly of woman's good name. 1
am determined to show those engaged In
spreading this calumny that it cannot be
done with impunity. 1 therefore insist on
satisfaction.
Thibadeaux after much thought
threw the note down. saying to him
self:
1.-The satisfaction l will give you.
dear lady. If 1 find you as attractive
as my Imagination paints you, Is an
other ring to be worn on the third
finger of your left hand"
The young man unused on, consider
ing every possible method Of pro-
cedure. At first he was inclined to
meet his challenger on the field and
there make it known that he knew
her sex. But he feared that she
might be further irritated. Before the
day was done he had decided on his
course. He wrote her as follows:
1t Is not by receiving your fire. my dear
sir. that can atone for my fault, but by
hunting down the perpetrator OF this scan
dal I received 1t from a woman and am
confident 1t originated IN a woman. II
within three months do not bring you q
retraction from its originator / will not