The daily Alaskan., 1915-03-27
An Incorrigible
 Coquette
By EDITH V. ROSS

IIi,r the causes of which were usual
 ' p,ihiiahcd to the world. But when .l wOmar was the subject of dispute Sume other cause was invented In or. Ter 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 ab. surd expedients.
 Miss Cary Randolph many years ago was belle in Charleston. s. 0. Among her suitors were Robert Fitz- Hugh and Percy Bryce, both South Carolinians. Miss Randolph was not averse to setting her suitors against one another It gratifed her amour propre. But in this case she went too far. .s.
 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 oth CT, but this did not trouble her; she wished her friends to see her with one of the men who were known to be devoted to her on each side of her
 Having 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 10 an expression or preference. This, too. would have end, ed the matter. for they were both gen, 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:
 T was surprised at your intrusion.
 The lady invited me-"
 "That was common politeness.'
 If you think yourself aggriered you have a right to reparation."
 Both men were ready to explode. but Fitz-HuGh repressed his feelings for the time and. turning on his heel. walked away. As he proceeded jeaI' ousy got the bette~ of him. and, seek ing his friend Walter Raymond. he com missloned him to take a challenge to 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. whereupon FitZ- Hugh told him to make up Il prcteXt to be given to the world as the cause of the duel. Ray mond, after some thought. decided that the ostensible 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 1t 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 uable to the man she loved by render ing her winning more difficult.
 Despite the effort made to keep the coming meeting q secret from her, she got wind of it. On the morning ap' pointed for the duel she mounted a cob and rode to the grounds, ar rlving there just in time to see the rivals for her hand standing facing each other with deadly intent. Her presence put a stop to the proceedings. q have heard" she said, that one of you gentlemen Is about to kill the other. Since have made up my mind to accept a proposition of marriage from one of you object to the other killing him."
 The rivals glared at each other, but said nothing. The seconds. who were opposed to the meeting, saw an oppor- tunity to stop 1t where 1t was.
 Perhaps" said Bryce's second after an awkward pause, Miss Randolph will deign to remove the cause of the quarrel"
 What is the cause?" asked the lady.
 Again there was pause. more awk. tIns Arot o fhn nn6 0f which Fitz- -Hugh's second said that her principal had been insulted by being called a redhead. If Miss Randolph would decide whether MT. Fitz- -Hugh's hair was red it would end the matter.
 MT. Fitz-Hugh's hair Is fiery red, 7 she said, but that has nothing to do with my preference"
 Fitz-Hugh colored. "Gentlemen.' he said, "I see no reason why this affair should not proceed"
 "Nor l." added Bryce.
 Miss Randolph made no interpositlon until one of the seconds had given the word Ready" and the other stood ready to give the signal to fire by drop ping handkerchief This man, expect ing that Miss Randolph would indicate her preference. delayed, keeping an eye upon her.
 She smiled at him.
 ..Thls Is absurd" be said. Do you intend to risk losing the man you love? Decide"
 How can l." she replied. "fn' such