g regret for his long absence, and trusting that
nothing may interfere with their "pleasant friendship." Sometimes the
note brings the man back immediately and sometimes it doesn't. He very
seldom condescends to make an explanation. If he does, it is merely a
casual allusion to "business." This is the only excuse even a bright man
can think of.

[Sidenote: "Climbing a Tree"]

This act is technically known among girls as "climbing a tree." When a
man does it, he wants a girl to bring a ladder and a lunch and plead
with him to come down and be happy, but doing as he wishes is no way to
attract a man up a tree.

Men are as impervious to tears and pleadings as a good mackintosh to
mist, but at the touch of indifference, they melt like wax. So when her
quondam lover attempts metaphorical athletics, the wise girl smiles and
withdraws into her shell.

She takes care that he shall not see her unless he comes to her. She
draws the shades the moment the lamps are lighted. If he happens to pass
the house in the evening, he may think she is out, or that she has
company--it is all the same to her. She arranges various evenings with
girl friends and gets books from the library. This is known as
"provisioning the citadel for a siege."

[Sidenote: Pride and Pride]

It is a contest between pride and pride which occurs in every courtship,
and the girl usually wins. True lovers are as certain to return as
Bo-Peep's flock or a systematically deported cat. Shame-faced, but
surely, the man comes back.

Various laboratory note-books yield the same result. A single entry
indicates the general trend of the affair.

_MAN calls on GIRL after five weeks of unexplained absence. She asks no
questions, but keeps the conversation impersonal, even after he shows
symptoms of wishing to change its character._

MAN. (_Finally._) "I haven't seen you for an awfully long time."

GIRL. "Haven't you? Now that I think of it, it has been some time."

MAN. "How long has it been, I wonder?"

GIRL. "I haven't the least idea. Ten days or two weeks, I guess."

MAN. (_Hastily._) "Oh no, it's been much longer than that. Let's see,
it's"--(_makes great effort with memory_)--"why, it's five weeks! Five
weeks and three days! Don't you remember?"

GIRL. "I hadn't thought of it. It doesn't seem that long. How time does
fly, doesn't it!" (_Long silence._)

MAN. "I've been awfully busy. I wanted to come over, but I just
couldn't."

GIRL. "I've been very b