The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-01-18

had been "uut number OF times and
bad usually killed his opponent This
causcl auttrr among Bingold .
friends uua was especially unpaiatnblr
to IllHSoa himself
f The report was not long iu reaching
Virginia She had heard of the alter
cation and was quite taken ahack at
I what she considered solely the conse
quence Of her own action. When Sha
F.. heard that ThibadpauN was an expert
/ II arms she was terror stricken, The
I prospect Of being the cause of the
elimination 81 the man she was think
tng OF accepting FOR husband was
dreadful. She sent for Riugold, took
I hack all she had said about admiring
bravery aud asked him 20 withdraw
from the quarrel
( Rugold told her that she Ind moth.
/ Ing 10 do with II and he could not
withdraw without being considered n
/ poltrOon and coward. Nevertheless
he showed by his manner that he
would gladly withdraw, having no
stomach for being sacrificed by an ex-
pert. Virginia offered to ask Thiba-
deaux TO accept an apology, but Rim
geld convinced her that his doing so
would put him In n worse position than
/ before
Ringold endeavored TO gain time,
hoping that SOMA arrangement might
be made 60 let him out OF the affair.
lie succeeded In having the meeting
put Off for twenty-four hours after
It had been appointed, The evening
after the fracas occurred Major Brain
ard stroled into the tavern sat down
ut table and called for julcp. Thi-
badeanx and couple Of friends were
at another table.
Pardon me, monsieur said Brain
ard to Thihadcaux. You do not seem
TO remember me"
81 confess do not" replied Thiba-
deaux.
LET me refresh your memory.
Twelve years ago ! was on duty with
the army ut New Orleans At n ball
you purposely insulted me. | chal-
lcngcd you. We met In a wood near
the city where such affairs are settled
You fred before the signal and left
me bleeding on the ground, Fastening
away, excuSlng yourself by saying that
YOU were anxious to avoid the police"
"When you say fred before the
signal you llc!''
ITO give n gentleman the lie calls
for satisfaction This time | shnll be
better prepared"
Tomorrow morning | have another
affair on hand, after which I will nc
commodate you
In that ease you are the challenger.
I dare say your adversary can be In
dpccd to give mo first place"
Thbadeaug could not very well oh.
icct TO this, and messenger was dis
patched TO Ringold 10 ask him If he
would step aside for another. Ringold,
thinking that he mi@ht appear brave
without riSEing anytime, demurrcd,
whereHpou Erainard called upon him
and represented to him that having
been CHALLENGED by Thihadcauy. Thl
hadeauX had a right 70 withdraw the
challenge until after another encoun
ter. Rln~o'd who was really much
relieved at tie prospect 81 MOI having
to fight hoDing That ThiblGaauy
would le prevented from Eillng BIN
by being Killed himself. gave what hn
endeayored to make appear reluctant
consent.
Egalnarl having thus paved the way
for himself, meeting was arranged
between him md ThibadeauX. The
latter had net willingly acquicsccd IN
the new arrangement, for he had
hoped 10 put Ringold In an unpleasant
position without running any great
risk. He knew coward, or thought
he did, and fancied that Itincold would
show the white feather at the last mo
ment. If not, Thibadeaux counted on
enccting n compromise without de
tracing from his own reputation
Ringold could not but suspect that
Bralnard had some reason for his ac.
tion, aud that reason was TO step in
between him and death. Ringold sent
a note to Virginia IIardesty informing
her that In his affair with Thibadeaux
he had given place TO another. If Thi. |
badcauX was not too badly bit In his
first encounter Ringold would meet him
after II was finished.
When the clock struck the appointed |
hour the next morning Brainard was
on the ground. Rlngold was there. but |
Thibadeaux did not appear. After
waiting some time for him the others |
went away.
That was the last that was seen OF |
Thibadeaux IN Virginia. Nor was he
ever heard OF afterward, though sev-
eral holders OF his /. O. us tried hard |
20 find him.
No engagement between Virginia Har.
desty and Arthur Ringold took place.
Soon after Tllibadcaux's disappear
arcc Major Bralnard received an
anonymous bouquet of flowers Then
one day be and Virginia IIardesty met
at hunt This was the beginning Of
a different trea tment by her Of her uu.
coith sutton. At the hunt ball at the