The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-09-07
A Rash Experiment.
BY EUGENE LEWIS.
'seeeeeeseeeseeeeeeeeeee
I'M HATS the good oft all? What

w can YOU scc III iue 10 MAKE you
so certain that you can't live without
me? That's all nonsense, you know"
And the speaker tilted her chair back
wards and surveyed the good-lookine
young man opposite her, with curl
osity.
Don't ask me to analyze my feel.
ings," he answered, bending little for
ward, 81 only know that love you,
can't tell you the why or wherefore
Love is too delicate, too fragile to bear
dissecting."
The girl looked away far above his
head to where the young crescent moon
showed through the dark leaves of the
trees.
II don't profess to have any heart"
for anyone, nor am l ever likely to be
wildly in love. l like you-I don't at
tempt to deny that-but liking and low
ing are very different, believe. Then
mo. don't interrupt mel 1irt-I can't
help it. l flirted with you, perhaps ]
am flirting with you now-1 suppose,
in the eyes of the world, am but l
people call in love. II must be most
firing and depressing process, should
think As l told you before, l have
no heart"
"That is true enough" he returned a
little bitterly. "Some one said to me
the other day: Miss Vane has heart
like an artichoke; she gives away a
leaf of her affection to anyone. but
keeps the real heart entirely to her
self"
"What rude person." she said, with
a smile. II daresay it is true enough,
though"
"Now look here" said the man, ris-
ing from his seat and speaking earn
ostly, "if you don't care for me much, at
least you don't care for anyone else, Sc
why not take me? l am content to put
up with lukewarm liking; it is better
than nothing, at all events"
Damaris yane considered few min
utes, her fan to her lips.
every WELL" she said at last, with
a sigh. But you must clearly under
stand that there is one thing 1 could
never put up with, and that is jeal'
Gus husband. Now, I am sure you
would be very jealous.
"Try me-" he exclaimed. 81 swear
will never be jealous"
Swearing is no good. I want a
proof"
well, let me prove it to you"
"That is just what 1 want you to do
Now, listen: am staying on here for a
little over week. and what l suggest
! is, that for that time we shall, both OF
us, be at liberty, and / shall take advan-
tage of it by flirting with the first inter
esting man I can find. You, of course,
must not interfere, for you will have
no opportunity to do so. For your part,
you may retaliate by making love to
anybody, or everybody, if you prefer
that; shan't object, / can assure you."
VERY WE'LL" he said, despondently
II suppose l must agree to that"
"Of course you must" she returned
laughing at is most sensible ar
rangement. This day week meet me
here, about this time, and ! will see il
| feel inclined to consent to a regular
engagement. l think it will be most
amusing"
"Oh. yes, remarkably amusingl" he
assented, in a lugubrious tone.
"Well. let us come in now. And
mind. we are both of us entirely free;
If | should choose TO marry another to-
morrow you would have no right to
object, nor should l, If you should-do
you see?'
"Oh, yes, see. You have a convinc-
ing way of putting things, at any rate
Damaris Vane had described her char
acter pretty accurately, but she con-
ceaied from everyone, including herself,
that she was growing fonder of Cyril
Hunt than any of the other men who
had huttered round her since she came
out.
1t was the general impression in the
section of society in which she dwelt
that Miss vane was not only thor
ough- paced flirt. but utterly heartless
as we'll. The most affecting and touch
ing love scenes only moved her to
laughter, and she would take off her