s
immediately. Have I your attention?"

"Completely."

"Let me see. In the first place there are several general types of
proposal. There is the calmly rational, the passionate whirlwind, the
dangerously controlled, or volcano under a sheet of ice--" she broke off.
"I don't know how women do it," she said. "I only know about men."

He smiled, "But you admit to knowing all about them, I gather?"

It would have been folly to deny it.

"And then there's the meltingly pathetic," she went on. "I imagine
that's what women attempt oftenest. Let us begin with that. Now you are
to suppose that I, with tears streaming down my face, have just
confessed that I have always looked up to you as a sort of god, that I
hardly dare--"

"Wait, wait!" cried Riatt. "This is by far the most interesting part of
the lesson, and you go so fast. I have no imagination. I don't know how
it would be, you must say all those things."

"Do I have to cry?" said Christine.

Riatt debated the point.

"No," he answered at length, "I can imagine the tears, but everything
else you must act out. Particularly that part about my seeming like a
god to you."

"But how in the world can I teach you what to do, if I have to act a
part myself?"

"Well, before we begin, just give me a sketch of what I ought to do."

"You must be very cold and firm, and explain to me that though my mistake
is natural, you are really not a god at all; and then that gives you an
excuse to talk a great deal about yourself, and tell how wicked and human
and splendid you are, and that you are not worthy of a simple, good girl
like myself, and how you don't love me anyhow. And then the essential
thing is to go away quickly, and end the interview before I have a chance
to begin all over again."

He looked doubtfully at the snow.

"Must I get out and walk home?" he asked.

"No," she said. "I think that's too complicated. We might try an easier
one to begin. Suppose we do the calmly rational first. I explain to you
that I have watched you from boyhood, and have come to the conclusion
that our tastes, our intellects, our--"

"Oh, no," said Riatt, "there's really no use in going on with that. Even
I should have no difficulty with any lady who approached me in that way.
But there was one of the others that sounded rather promising and
difficult. How about the passionate whirlwind? I say to try that next."

To her surprise, Christine found herself coloring a little.

"Ah," s