The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-10-13
AN INrEREsrING EXPERIMENT.
BY JENNIE WREN.

rounded by all her own dainty belong
: ings, is the scene On which our cuTtaiI
rises.
The small, jewelled fingers hold ,
card on which is penciIed these words
"Introduee my friend, Jack Desmond
Below is the writer's own name-Ellii
Minton-this in the engrayer's bes
form; but the latter's name is writer
elsewhere rs well, on no less a spot thar
Sydney Collins heart-for she is Eli:
MintOn's betrothed wife.
How often has she heard of this friend
who now awaits her coming in hel
fathers drawing room.
"a royal fellow among men, but ut
terly impregnable To carrying
danger always always escaping him
SELF
This so often had been the burden Of
her lovers strain, and was she ever &c
see and judge for herself.
/ What wonder that her heart beat lii
tie quicker, or that, snatchIng up fra
grant bunch of red roses from her toilet
Sue fastened them at her slender waist
making the only spot of color on the
white cashmere gown, and giving
the one finishing touch needed 10 make
her look as though she had stepped oni
from some picture frame?
| Evidently some such thought as This
his feet as The radienL vision met his
view.
ayes, he is dangerous was Sydney s
| inward comment, as she glanced up into
the handsome, bearded face, and; Feceg.
nized the power which might lie in
those laughing brown eyes, should their
laughter turn To earnest tenderness.
Dangerl Yes; butnotto her. Wrapped
in Ellis love, surely she was invincible.
Supposc-suppose she tried the exper-
iment of making him feel? Had the
thought really given itself definite
shape?
She hardly recognized it; yet, with
her hand one moment cldsped ia a
strong, warm grasp, her ear catching a
few murmured words ofcourteous pleas
ure at the meeting, she felt, as does the
war horse shifting the scent of the bat
tie from afar, and eager for the fray.
do you know" her visitor said, when
he rose to take his leave, at the end of
an hour, as marked by the clock-as
scarce half that time Sydney would have
said, had she been asked-''do you know
/ no longer wonder at Minton's anxiety
TO turn Benedict? viii you pardon
me when l add that little curiosity
prompted my desire to see you to-day,
and 10 learn how strong must be the
temptation to forgo bachelorhoodn'
1--WE must tempt you in turn to fol-
low Ellis example," she answered, with
blush.
Had he not set it, should have been
more tempted" was the grave reply.
! Five minutes later she was alone. Mr..
Desmond was to be guest in the city a
| fortnight. During that time she should
see him often. Already she anticipated
it with pleasure.
| nj h ha xprOfn he hnf rOtha6.
81 have seen your friend he present
ed your card to-day. l wonder did you
paint me to him in the glowing colors
you so often have painted his portrait
to me, and if he, as I, laughed at your
enthusiasm, found the reality brighter
than the picture? ] fear not. fear in
me he must have been disappointed /;
but in him | am not only not SO, but l
no longer wonder at your strange love
for him. But one thing is wanting; his
heart is sleeping. All women are alike
to him. Do you know l feel tempted
to make him single me out? Do you
know feel tempted TO rouse the sleep
ing lion from his lair? Shall l try, Ell
lis? 1t would be an interesting expert
ment."
Three days later she wrote again:
"You were quite right, dear, in your
deliniatIon of your friends character.
Do you know I fancied / had made
upon him II slightly favorable impress
sion, sufficient for him to return and
have it deepened-at least, sufficient for
me to have the opportunity to test the
interesting experiment of which l last
wrote you; but evidently the latent dis
trust OF the sex has awakened. have
not seen him since his first call, which
could not, l am quite sure have ex-
ceeded twenty minutes in length. All
| my hopes of causing you 10 suffer from
! the pangs of the green eyed monster
have fed. He refused to be charmed
charm never so wisely.
They were light words, lightly written,
but noue the less Sydney felt an I'M
avowed disappointment she would not
acknowledge TO herself even as she
penned them. 1t left no outward trace,
however, as, a few hours later, she
stood before her mirror dressed for Mrs
Crosby's german, which she was en-
gagged to lead with Guy Rallings, the
best dancer in her set.
She need not fear tonight that she
should not hear sweet nothings wills
pered in her car. Guy Rallings had
been one of her adorer5 since he had
DOTTED Toundabouts, and never failed 10
show himself openly disconsolate that a
hero from another town should have
borne off the coveted prize. But even this
balm to her wounded vanity tonight
was not to be forthcoming.
Before leaving the house note was
brought her in which Mr.. Rallings' re
grets, at a sudden spTain 10 his ankle
arose from the fact that he must be de
prived of Il pleasure which he had Sc
long been eagerly anticipating, in feel
ing himself for one night, at least, the
envy of all the men in the room, etc.
to the end of the chapter.
} But entering Mrs CrOsby's dressing
room, her veXation vanished, as he
, hostess, rapturously greeting her, hav
ing followed her in an instant hurriedly
up the stairs, met her with the announce
| ment that, having known of Mr.. Rail-
ings' accident, she had supplied Il sub
stitute-one she was quite sure wOulC
do equally well. and would possess tn
charms of noyclty-an old friend O
, her husband, Mr.. Jack Desmond.
Then she retreated to her guests, leav
1 ing Sydney to follow, not noting tn
t quick, crimson stain ON the Lowell,
cheek which had Haunted itself at he
words.
d 81 might have spared him." though
J. the girl. "Now, to do so only one thin
a | will lie wanting, and that is my power J
And, taking a last glance in the mil
L
at the face men called beautiful, at tn
q figure whose every curve was delineate
by the exquisite Partisan toilet donne
tonight in all its first freshness, il wa
/ small wonder that at the improbable
8 of the latter little, incredulous smil
. touched the rich red lips.
1t still rested there when Mr.. De
mond relieved her father of his chargt
1t and drew her arm within his own.
5. "We have not had much practice 4
n gether, Miss Collins" he said, as he lie
her to the further end of the room; "bI
I rather think no one will be the wise
:. save ourselves"
Ie al should imagine you danced well
II she replied indifferently, land 1 ca
easily give you the figures Mr.. Railing
+ and had decided upon; or / should
happy to receive instructions in any ne
ones at your hands,"
"You have not asked me why hay
L not been to see you," he questioned,
d little later, as he kept time to one
p Strauss most charming waltZes.
O. His arm was about the slender wais
:, her little hand rested on his sleeve; b
eyes for a moment met hers. but b
IL laughter had gone, and in its stead W;
. q newborn tenderness
She stroye to answer lightly, but Il
&c words refused Ia come.
AZ dared Hot come he whispered.
Is A little later he could have laughed
d the singular influence the simple utte
> ance had possessed over her.
Was not this man acting a part, ar
n did she not know IL? II was she WI
must hold away, not he; but even as 81
thus decided. she felt that she was TO
re ing with flame which might scort
le those who approach it, and yet burn {
n calmly and undimmed
az have q message for you from ]
in lis" she said, when he babe her goo
n night "Wili you not come to-morrO
!. to hear its''
He bowed assent She had put b
ID coming in such form refusal was imp1
sible.