The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-11-30

F THREW Tue nOle uON III bd} luB "
self:
THE satisfaction l will give you.
dear lady, II l find you as attractive
rs 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 1t 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:
It 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 l received 1t from a woman and am
confident It originated In a woman. II
within three months l do not bring you
retraeton from Its originator / will not
deny you the satisfaction you demand
shall look for your reply at the same hour
tomorrow.
The next afternoon Thibadeaux
watched Miss Lemoines window
through a pair of glasses and saw the
hand much more clearly than before.
This time the note was thrown by the
left hand.
Not married aud not engaged" the
watcher remarked to himself with
satisfaction. I'm pleased to notice
that the third finger is unoccupied."
The note had evidently been written
In an exuberance of delight and was
consequently n dead give away.
Your proposition is accepted. You have
shown yourself to be noble man. II
were woman I'm sure l should fall In
love with you.
THANK you," remarked Thibadeaux.
That's exactly what l 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 vindieation, he made
ready for bis 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:
I hand you herewith an acknowledge
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 q letter written before
my departure was misplaced. l acquired
this retractlon by dishonorable means. l
made love to the woman who wrote 1t.
accused her of disappearing 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
eplstle, the writer waited impatiently
for reply. 1t was this:
| 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
your own opinion Of your act, too honor
able. too lovely, Tor anything. Your de-
ception was perfectly excusable. 1 shall
always respect and admire you for It, 1t
Is needless for me to add that my chal-
lenge Is withdrawn.
Thibadeaux chuckled over this letter
with its manlike beginning and Its
feminine ending He was anxious to
get q glimpse of this lady who had sent
him n 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
cling 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 few days before receiving
the challenge, and after sending 1t Miss
Lemoine had kept herself very dark.
Then : had left Charleston, and upon
his return his enemy had gone again
into hiding. Consequently he was still
In ignorance as to whether she were
an aged spinster or young girl,
whether eomely or homely, Therefore
he was much relieved and pleased at
receiving a note that Mr.. Renard would
"be happy to receive a call from Mr..
Thibadeaux on the next afternoon at 8
O'clock" They could drink a cup of tea
together, and Mr.. Renard could express
his sense of obligation to Mr.. Thiba
deaux for the yindication he had pro-
cured.
Since Mr.. Thibadeaux never drank
anything weaker than wine, the offer
of tea was not as alluring as the an
ticipated vision of the woman who had
brought about the approaching &C
quaintance by proposing to kill him.
On the appointed afternoon he called
on Mr. Renard and sent in his card.
lie had prepared himself to felgn
surprise on seeing a woman instead of
Il man. but when the queenly Marga-
ret came into the room there was no
need of pretense. The splendor of her
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 a womanf"
mot till l saw ring sparkle on the
hand that dropped the challenge. For
heavens sake. what did you mean by
taking such a courseT'
81 meant to fight you disguised az a
man"
IF you had made no better pretense |
in mans clothes than In writing a
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