The Press., 1912-02-07
Two RinQs The One Led to the
 Other
 By F. A. MTG HEEL Copyright by American Press Asso-
By E. A. MITcHEL

In the city of Charleston during the
 middle of the last century young girl
 sat in a window opening on to a gar
 den. She was not one of the delicate
 willowy creatures of whom poets love
 to sing, but a magnifcently 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 a 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 both young men of the world and were chat ting about social matters. Charles Thi- badeaux was speaking.
 'The northern city I most fancy in America" he said, ais 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 recklessness and the women are beautiful. I spent last winter there"
 "Who was the most beautiful woman in New Orleans society last winter2" asked the speakers companion, Ed ward Remington.
 ''The most beautiful woman, to my thinking, was a widow-a Mrs. Le- moine. Though nearly forty, she retain ed her youthful appearance. She was Queenly beauty, tall, splendidly formed wrinkle. But I 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 prtcked 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 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 to pace the floor.
 "It is time" she said, ''that this woman's slanderers received a check. But how? Oh, that she were man and were man! Women are defenseless 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 I not born masculine?"
 Yielding to an impulse, she seated herself before a writing desk and dashed off the following:
 I have overheard your aspersions on the good name Of one love and respect. demand whatever of satisfaction you may be able to afford me. Since prefer to remain incognito shall conduct my own side of this affair. If you are not a cow ard write me making an appointment for 8 meeting. MARK REWARD.
 Hastily folding the paper on which this communication was 1nconsioer- ately written, Margaret went to the window and tossed it at the feet of the young men. Both reached for 1t, but Thibadeaux secured it. Then after 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 a serious expression.
 'Ned," said Thibadeaux presently. T don't like the situation"
 ''Nor I. In listening to your re- marks am as culpable as you who have made them"
 You have nothing to do with the matter. The responsibility rests on me-"
 After a conference it was decided that Thibadeaux should write q note to this Mark Renard, whoever he might be, and 1t should be left at the door of the house from which the note had been thrown. It said that the writer acknowledged himself to be blamable in repeating scandal for which he had no proof and apologized therefor. If after this apology MT. 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 myste- rious challenger. Early in the after noon appointed for the reply he took position behind the blinds of a win dow commanding a view of the house from whence 1t should come. In time he saw a shutter open just far enough for hand to pass through and toss a 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 astonished him. Tha snnliaht striking if was aAnf hack in bright flash. Evidently Mfr. Re. nard wore jeweled ring.
 Men seldom wear rings unless they are seals, which are not likely to spar kle. Therefore Charles Thibadeaux was not long in divining that his correspondent was a woman. An thoughts of a bloody encounter van- lshed, and in their place came a de- sire to know more of his fair chal- lenger. He sauntered into the garden, picked up the note and, returning to ! his room, read it: Only one devoid of a sense of honor will l peak lightly of a woman's good name. | l I'm determined to show those engaged in preading this calumny that it cannot be \ lone with impunity. therefore insist on \ atisfaetion.
 Thibadeaux after much thought | hrew the note down, saying to him. elf.