The Press., 1912-02-07

l 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 it 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. received it from a woman and am I confident it originated in woman. If within three months do not bring you . retraction from it's originator I will not deny you the satisfaction you demand. I shall look for your reply at the same hour tomorrow.
 The next afternoon Thibadeaux | watched Miss Lemoine's 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 and not engaged" the watcher remarked to himself with satisfaction. "Tm pleased to notice that the third finger is unoccupied." The note had evidently been written in an exuberance of delight and was consequently dead give away.
 Your proposition is accepted. You have shown yourself to be a noble man. If were a woman I'm 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 vindication, 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 islander or fight:
 I hand you herewith an acknowledg- ment from Miss Lemoine'S traducer that there was no truth in the story she cir culated. I am sorry, however, to admit, my dear sir, that your good opinion of me expressed in a letter written before my departure was misplaced. I acquired this retraction by dishonorable means. made love to the woman who wrote 1t, accused her of nnisrepresenttng the facts in this case and agreed to forgive her only upon her written confession. I am yours unworthily,
 CHARLES F. THIBADEAUx.
 Having dispatched this self accusing epistle, the writer waited impatiently for reply. It was this:
 I assure you, sir that by your conduct you have not only relieved me and the subject of the confession of 8 burden, but you have shown yourself. notwithstanding your own opinion of your act, too honor able. too lovely. for anything. Your de- ception was perfectly excusable. I shall always respect and admire you for it. It is needless for me to add that my chal- lenge is withdrawn.
 Thibadeaux chuckled over this letter with it's manlike beginning and its 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 MT. Renard and apologize in person for the wrong he had done in reporting slander.
 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 his 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 comedy or homely. Therefore he was much relieved and pleased at receiving q note that Mr. Renard would be happy to receive a call from MT. Thibadeaux on the next afternoon at o'clock" They could drink cup of tea together, and MT. Renard could express his sense of obligation to MT. Thiba leaux for the vindicatiOn he had pro cured.
 - Since MT. 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 'ac- quaintance by proposing to kill him. On the appointed afternoon he called on MT. 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 her presence quite took his breath away.
 "I did not dream you would be so beautiful" he exclaimed.
 "What!' she replied, starting. Did vnn knnw mo to he a wnnanT"
 Mot till saw ring sparkle on the hand that dropped the challenge. For heavens sake, what did you mean by taking such a courseY'
 "I meant to fight you disguised as man."
 eff you had made no better pretense In mans clothes than in writing a mans letter sou would not have de- ceived me"
 "Did gsve myself away in that9'' she asked, coloring. ....
 Certainly! It was first your hand, then your heart, that gave you away. Men do not write with the same feel ing as women" .z
 "'All'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 ne had prom ised himself he would put there.
 
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