The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-05
An Incorriigible
Coquette
BY EDITH Y. ROSS

the southern states in defense of theiI
honor, the causes of which were usual
" published to the world But when
woman was the subject of dispute
some other cause was invented in or
der to keep her name out of the mat
ter At times when the ingenuity OF
the participants failed them In invent
ing cause they would resort to alb
surd expedients.
Miss Cary Randolph many years
ago was belle in Charleston, 5. Q.
Among her suitors We're Robert Eitz-
Hugh and Percy Bryce, both South
Carolinians Miss Randolph was not
ayerse to setting her suitors against
one another 1t gratitied her amour
propre. But In this case she went too
far.
One day while she was walking with
Fitz- Hugh Bryce passed them. The
lady smiled ON him and invited him
to Join them She knew that neither
would relish the presence of the 9th
err, but this did not trouble her; she
i wished her friends to see her with
one of the men who were known TO
be devoted to her on each side of her.
fIaving paraded her lovers before
her friends she turned in the direction
OF her home and on arriving there
dismissed them. Had she asked them
TO go In with her there might have
been no unfortunate result. Had she
asked one of them in it would have
been tantamount to an expression OF
preference. This, too, would have end
ed the matter for they were both gem
tlemen and either would have taken
his dismissal as final. Leaving them
to walk away together was the worst
thing she could have done
They proceeded some distance, re-
marking upon the weather and such
other makeshift topics; then when they
were about to part Fitz-Hugh said to
Bryce:
II was surprised at your intrusion"
The lady invited me-"
"That was common politeness.
"If you think yourself aggrieyed you
have a right to reparation."
Both men were ready to explode,
but Fitz- Hugh repressed his feelings
for the time andNurning on his heel,
walked away. AS he proceeded jeal-
ousy got the better of him, and, seek
ing his friend Walter Raymond, he com
missioned him TO take a challenge 10
Bryce Raymond asked the cause and
when told of it replied that he would
have nothing to do with an affair that
would bring In the name of lady,
wbereupon Fftz- Hugh told him TO
make up a pretext TO be given to the
world as the cause Of the duel. Ray
mond. after some bought, decided that
the ostensibe reason for the quarrel
was to be that Bryce had called FitZ-
Hugh a redhead. Fitz-Hugh's hair
was auburn. This was not reason
calculated to deceive the public, but
Raymond had no inventive genius, and
| IL was the best he could do.
Miss Randolph had made choice be-
tween these two men-a very decided
choice. She was ready to give herself
to one of them. But she desired to
prolong the pleasure OF being courted
BY both and make herself more val
liable to the man she loved by render
ing her winning more difficult.
Despite the effort made to keep the
coming meeting a secret from her, she
got wind of it. On the morning APP
pointed for the duel she mounted a
cob and rode to the grounds, ar
irving there just in time to see the
rivals for her hand standing facing
each other with deadly intent Her
presence put stop 10 the proceedings.
Il have heard" she said, that one
Of you gentlemen is about TO kill the
other. Since have made up my mind
10 accept a proposition OF marriage
from one OF you l object to the other
killing him."
The rivals glared at each other. hut
said nothing. The seconds, who we're
opposed 10 the meeting. saw an oppor-
sunlty 90 stop IL where IL was.
Perhaps" said Bryce's second after
an awkward pause, Miss Randolph
VIII deign TO remove the cause Of the
quarrel"
"what IL the causeY' asked the lady.
Again there was pause. more awk-
Nard than the first. at the end Of
which Fitz-Hugh's second said that her
principal had been insulted by being
allied a redhead n Miss Randolph
would decide whether Mr.. Fitz-Hugh's
aair was red II would end the matter.
"Mr. Fitz-Hughs hair Is iiery red.
he said. but that has nothing 20 do
Eith my preference"
Fitz Hugh colored Gentlemen" he
mid. Il see no reason why this afrsir
mould not proceed
''Nor L. added Bryce
Miss Randolph made no Interpolation
tntn one - the seconds had given the
Ford Ready and the other stood
rady % give the signal % Gre ly drop
sing q handkerchief This man. expect
ne that Miss Randolph would indicate
ser preference. delayed keeping en-
sye upon her
she smiled 81 him
-This IL siisurd he sid 10 yUu
nfend to risk losing TIE msn zoo
sres Decide
-How csn !. she replied ga vuch q
1ublic fashioaF
.Geufiemen. rhui r0ur eFes said
- Second
EVER men srreTt Ere principals