Three young men, the best of friends, a painter,Bainbridge Breen, a writer, Eric Nielsen, and acomposer, John Carstairs, were arguing that three-facedconundrum, morals. Quite an accident hadprovoked them to it: a waitress, Erna Vitek. Frompicking at her they had launched into axiomizing,only to come back to her. Her morals were the vitaltopic of the evening. Carstairs’ studio provided themise en scène.

“Well, we’ve hit a conclusion at last,” said Breenwith an air of comfortable finality. “Carstairs callsher moral, I say she’s unmoral, and Nielsen that shemay be moral, unmoral or even both.”

“Yes!”

“Now, we’ve all conceded that Erna’s not immoral—atleast she doesn’t lead a life inconsistentwith morality?”

“Yes!”

“Very well then,” Breen concluded contentedly.“Now let me make a proposition.”

“What kind of a proposition?” Nielsen quizzedin droll tones and looked at Carstairs, who wasfrowning.

“There’s very little to it. I can dish it out in afew words. It’s simply this: that we put Erna tothe test.”

“What do you mean?” was Carstairs’ immediatechallenge.

“Don’t worry!” Breen responded blandly. “I’mnot going to injure the girl.”

“Well, what did you mean—”

“Merely this,” the painter interrupted quietly. “Idon’t believe that any of us know her very well.She’s only been working at Landsmann’s a fewmonths. Of course, Carstairs, you’ve taken her outon one or two occasions, so you’ve had an opportunityof studying her at closer range.”

“Not of studying her!”

“You don’t study her, certainly. You—er—whatwould you call it, Nielsen?”

“Why, John has been burned a little by the divineflame.”

Carstairs blushed angrily. “If you fellows intendto be personal—”

“Never mind, John,” Nielsen cut in. “Youmust allow us the occasional escape of some of oursurplus wind. Now, let’s drop these bravado posesand get down to business. I want the rest of theproposition. We know that we’re to put Erna tothe test. Now, Breen, tell us how.”

“There’s nothing to explain. I said, put her tothe test. Let each one, in his own way and for himself,perhaps, pay her attentions—I don’t mean,make love to her—but simply, well, let him take herto the theatre or to supper some evening—she’s freenights—and find out how close he can get to her—Idon’t mean

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