The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-11-14

consequently dead give away.
Your proposition is accepted You have
shown yourself to be noble man. If
| were woman Pm sure I should fall In
| love with you.
THANK you," remarked Thibadeaux
That's exactly what wish you to
do"
After writing one more note, stating
that he was leaving for New Orleans
and hoped within the specified time
to bring the yindication, he made
ready for his departure.
But two of the three months had
elapsed when Miss Lemoine received
the following note from the man who
was to quash the SANDER or fight:
1 hand you herewith an acknowledg-
| ment from Miss Lemoine's traducer that
there was no truth in the story she cir
| culated. | am sorry. however. to admit,
my dear sir, that your good opinion OF
| me expressed in letter written before
| my departure was misplaced. acquired
this retraction by dishonorable means. ]
| made love to the woman who wrote It.
accused her OF misrepresenting the facts
in this case and agreed to forgive her
| only upon her written confession. l am
| yours unworthily,
CHARLES F. THIBADEAUX.
Having dispatched this self accusing
epistIe, the writer waited impatiently
for reply. 1t was this:
I assure you, sir, that by your conduct
you have not only relieved me and the
subject of the confession of burden. but
you have shown yourself, Notwithstanding
TT -
able. too lovely, for anything. Your de-
ception was perfectly excusable. 1 shall
always respect and admire you for 1t. 1t
Is needless for me to add that my chal-
lenge Is withdrawn.
Thibadeaux chuckled over this letter
with its manlike beginning and it's
feminine ending. He was anxious to
get glimpse Of this lady who had sent
him challenge to mortal combat and
thus declared that she respected and
admired him for an act upon which his
sensitive conscience was not quite
clear. So he wrote another note, beg
ging that he might meet Mr.. Renard
and apologize In person for the wrong
he had done In reporting SANDER
Thibadeaux had resided In Charles
ton but a few days before receiving
the challenge, and after sending 1t Miss
Lemoine had kept herself very dark
Then he had left Charleston, and upon
bis return his enemy had gone again
into hiding. Consequently he was still
In ignorance as to whether she were
an aged Spinster or a young girl,
whether comely or homely. Therefore
he was much relieved and pleased at
receiving note that Mr.. Renard would
be happy to receive a call from Mr.
Thibadeaux on the next afternoon at s
o'clock" They could drink cup of tea
together and Mr. Renard could express
his sense Of obligation to Mr.. Thiba
deaux for the vindication he had pro
cured.
Since Mr.. Thibadeaux never drank
anything weaker than wine, the offer
Of tea was not as alluring as the an
ttcfpated vision of the woman who had
brought about the approaching ac-
quaintance by proposing to kill him.
On the appointed afternoon he called
on Mr. Renard and sent In his card.
He had prepared himself to feign
surprise on seeing woman instead of
man. but when the queenly Marga-
ret came into the room there was no
need OF pretense. The splendor of heI
presence quite took his breath away.
II did not dream you would be so
beautiful" he exclaimed.
"What' she replied. starting. 'Did
you know me to be woman?
mot till saw a ring sparkle on the
hand that dropped the challenge For
heavens sake, what did you mean by
taking such course?'
Il meant to fight you disguised as a
man."
IF you had made no better pretense
in mans clothes than in writing d
mans letter You would not have de-
ceived me-"
did l give myself away In that?"
she asked. coloring.
Certainly! 1t was first your hand,
then your Heart, that gave you away.
Men do not write with the same feel
ing as women"
"....is's well that ends WELL" she
said. smiling.
A few months later Charles Thiba-
deaux slipped on the third finger OF
her left hand the ring NJ mad prom,
ised himself he woEld pus there.