Democratic messenger., 1911-12-02
Two Rings
The One Led to the
Other
BY r. A. MTG II Ell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciatlon. 1911.
BY F. A. mitchell
.-,-.-,-,-.i-i-i-.s-s-i-;-s-i-i-'

In the city OF Charleston during the
middle Of the last century young girl
sat IN window opening on to gar
den. She was not one of the delicate,
willowy creatures of whom poets love
TO sing. but magnlficently formed. tall
woman with a remarkably handsome
face Though the year was nearly
spent, the leaves on the trees had not
yet ail 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 were smoking on u 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.
"Thc northern city l most fancy In
America" he said. "is New York. AT
least IL Is TO me less Objectionable, puri-
tanlcally considered. than other north
ern cities. But my delight Is our own
beloved New Orleans In the Crescent
City the men are brave 10 rccklessness
and the women are beautiful. | spent
last winter there"
"Who was tiic most beautiful woman
In New Orleans society last winteri"
asked the speakers companion, Ed
ward Remington.
"The most beautiful woman, 10 my
thinking. was widow-a Mrs. Le-
moine Though nearly forty. she retain
ed her youthful appearance. She was a
queenly beauty. tall. splendidly formed
and with face devoid of a single
wrinkle. But am sorry to say there
were unpleasant things said about her.
Some past indiscretion had cast a
blemsh upon her good name"
Margaret I.emoine 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 sudden fire.
|
accusation but words failed her. The
young men, unconscious If what was
above them. smoked on. Miss Lemoine
withdrew from the window and began
to pace the floor.
'It IL time" she said that this
woman's slandercrs received "A check.
| But how? Oh. that she were man and
l were man, Women are defenseless
against each other. Men can at least
die In defense OF their good name. IL
Tom had lived he could have made this
man who has treated mothers good
name so lightly eat his words. Why
was | not born mascullne:"
Yielding TO nm impulse. she seated
herself before writing desk and
dashed off the following
have overheard your asperslons on the
/ good name of one | love and respect
| demand whatever of satisfaction you may
| be able TO afford me. Since ! prefer to
remain lncogn!to shall conduct my own
side OF this affair. If you are no; n cow
ard write me making an appointment for
| meeting. MARK RENARD.
Hastily folding the paper OH which
l
ately written. Margaret went to the
window and tossed 1t at the feet OF
the young men. Both reached for It,,
but Thibadeaux secured IL. Then after
glance upward and with no sight OF
any one who might have thrown II he
read its contents aloud to his friend.
The two looked at each other with
serious expression.
Ned" said Thibadeaux presently
'T don't like the situation"
"Nor !. In listening to your re-
marks I am as eulpable rs you who
have made them"
"You have nothing to do with the
matter. The responsibility rests on
me-"
After conference IL was decided
that Thibadcaux should write note
10 this Mark Renard. whoever he
might be, ana II should be left at the
door OF the house from which the note
had been thrown. IL said that the
writer acknowledged himself TO be
blamable I'm repeating scandal for
which he had no proof and apologized
therefor. IL after this apology Mr..
Renard still insisted on a 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 desirous
Of knowing something OF the mystic
rlous challenger Early In the after
noon appointed for the reply he took
position behind the blinds Of win
dow commanding view Of the house
from whence 1t should come. In time
he saw a shutter open just far enough
for n hand 10 pass through and toss
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