Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-31
The Argus Daily Story
Two Rings-By F. A. Mitche'
apy-ishted. 1911. by Associated Lite ~ Bureau

den. She was not one Of the delicate
Z willowy creatures Of whom poets love
to sing. but a magnificently formed. tall
woman with a remarkably handsome
face Though the year was nearly
spent. the leaves on the trees had not
yet eli 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 a rustic
bench almost directly beneath the win
/ dow she occupied. They were botI
/ young men of the world and were chat
I ting about social matters. Charles Thi-
badeaux was speaking.
The northern city l most fancy in
America" he said. lis New York At
I least it is to ne 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 reCSleSsness
/ and the women are beautiful. | spent
/ last winter there
who was the most beautiful woman
/ in New Orleans society last winter?"
asked the speakers companion, Ed
/ ward Remington.
J The most beautiful woman, to my
thinking. was a widow-a Mrs Le-
moline. Though nearly forty, she retain
! ed her youthful appearance. She was u
queenly beauty, tall, splendidly formed
and with 81 face devoid of a single
wrinkle. But l am sorry to say there
/ were unpleasant things said about her
/ Some past indiscreuou had cast
/ b!emish 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 prickcd
/ IN her ears. When she heard the as
/ persiOn cast upon her mothers good
/ name the blood rushed TO her checks
ana 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
10 pace the floor.
at is time" she said. that this
woman's slanderers received n check.
But how? oh. that she were n man and
l we're i man! Women are dcIcuscless
against each other. Men can at least
die in defense OF their good name. If
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 an impulse. she seated
herself before a writing desk and
dashed off the following:
have overheard your a=porsIons on the
good name Of one l love and respect. I
demand whatever OF satisfaction you may
he able TO afford me Since / prefer 10
remain incogEito I shall conduct my own
side of this affair. II you are not a COW
ard write me making an appointment for .
n meeting. MARK RENARD. !
Hastily folding the paper on which
this communication was iuconsiucr I
atelv written. Margaret went TO the
window and tossed it Mt the feet Of
the young men. Both reached for IL,
but ThibadeauX secured ii. Then after
n glance upward and with no sight Of
any one who might have thrown It he
read its contents aloud 10 his friend. .
The two locked at each other with
a serious expression.
Ned" said Thibadeaux presently
II don't like the situation"
Nor I. In listening to your re-
marks I am as cuIpabIe as you who
have made them"
You have nothing 20 do with the
matter. The responsibility rests on
me-"
After n conference it was decided
that ThibadcauX should write a note
to tEis 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
Triter acknowledged himself 70 be
blamable in repeating a scandal for
which be had no proof ana apologized
therefor. If after this apology Mr..
Renard stlIl insisted on meeting his
demand could not be denied. \ 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 a shutter open just far enough
for a hand TO pass through and toss a
sat the day before. The distance was
too great for him 70 discover that 10
hand was delcately formed but he
saw something that astonished BIN.
The sunlight striking Il was sent back
In a bright fash Evidently Sir. Re
nard wore a JeweIcd ring.
Men seldom wear rims unless they
are seals, which are not likely % spar
kle. Therefore Charles Th.ba 1cauZ
was not long In divining that bis
correspondent was woman. All
thoughts Of a bloody encounter van.
ished and in their place came De
sire to know more - his fair chel
lenscr. Tie sauntered into the garden
picked up the note and. returning to :
his room. read It:
Only one devoid Of = sorre II bo-or viii