The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-11-30
Two Rings
The One Led to the
Other
by F. A. MTG Hell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.
By F. A. MTG HEEL

y
middle of TIA last century young girl
sat In a window opening on to gar
den. She was not Que of the delicate,
wiflowy creatures of whom poets love
to sing. but Il magnlfieently 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 Lemolne looked be-
longed to an adjoining house, aud two
gentlemen were smoking on Il 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 Tit
badeaux was speaking.
The northern city most fancy In
America" he said, is New York. At
least 1t 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 reekleSsness
and the women are beautiful. | spent
last winter there"
"Who was the most beautiful woman
in New Orleans society last winterP
asked the speakers companion, Ed
ward Remington.
The most beautiful woman, to my
thinking, was widow-a Mrs. Le-
NOME Though nearly forty, she retain
ed her youthful appearance. She was a
queenly beauty, tall, splendldly formed
and with a face devoid of a single
wrinkle. But l am sorry to say there
were unpleasant things said about her
Some past indiscretion had cast a
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 n sudden fire.
She leaned forward to hur 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 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 50 lightly eat his words. Why
was l not born masculine
Yielding to an impulse, she seated
herself before n writing desk and
dashed off the following:
l have overheard your aspersons on the
good name of one l love and respect |
demand whatever of satisfaction you may
be able to afford me. Since l prefer TO
remain ineognito l shall conduct my own
side OF this affair II you are not a cow
ard write me making an appointment for
4 meeting. MARK RENARD.
Hastily folding the paper on which
this communication was inconsider-
ately written, Margaret went to the
window and tossed 1t at the feet of
the young men. Both reached for 1t,
but Thibadeaux secured It, Then after
n glance upward and with no sight of
any one who might have thrown 1t he
read its contents aloud to his friend
The two looked at each other with
serious expression.
Ned" said Thibadeaux presently.
Il don't like the situation"
Nor I. 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 conference it was decided
that Thibadeaux should write note
to this Mark Renard, whoever he
might be, and it should be left ut the
door of the house from which the note
had been thrown. 1t said that the
writer acknowledged himself to be
blamable in repeating a scandal for
which he had no proof and apologlzed
therefor. If 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 DESTROYS
Of knowing something of the mystic
rlous 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 1t should come In time
he saw shutter open just far enough
for hand to 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
saw something that astonlshed him.
The sunlight striking 1t was sent back
n a bright fash. Evidently Mr.. Re
nard wore jeweled ring.
Men seldom wear rings unless they
are seals, which are not likely to spar
ile. Therefore Charles Thibadeaux
was not long In divining that his
was woman. All
thoughts of a bloody encounter van
shed. and In their place came a de-
sire to know more Of his fair chal-
enger. He sauntered into the garden.