g him into the mystery
of how she does it. A man can never tell where he will land." Ace came
very near striking the nail on the head when he wrote in the second
couplet that:

'She has most curyus ways about her,
Which leads a man to kinda dout her.'

"And then, knowing man so well, she absolutely refuses to let him know
anything of her thoughts. Which again, Ace has noted in this manner:

'Though lookin' at her is sure a pleasure;
There ain't no way to get her measure.
I reckon she had man on the run
A long while before the world begun.'

"That seems to be the exact truth," he laughed.

Norton grinned at him. "You single guys have certa'nly got a whole lot
to learn," he said, "for a fact. Of course if she's any kind of a woman
at all she's got him runnin'. But which way?"

"Why, toward her, of course!" laughed Hollis.

Norton's smile widened. "You've tumbled to that, then," he observed
dryly. "Then you're ready for the next lesson."

"And that?" questioned Hollis.

Norton smiled with ineffable pity. "Lordy!" he laughed; "you single guys
don't know a thing not a durned thing!"

After that they rode on in silence. When they came in sight of the
Hazelton cabin Norton reined in his pony and sat motionless in the
saddle, grinning at Hollis.

"You run along now," he advised. "I'll be hittin' her off toward the Dry
Bottom trail for the rest of the way--I sorta like that trail better
anyway."

He urged his pony off at a tangent and Hollis continued on his way. He
found Nellie alone, her brother having gone out on the range. She came
out on the porch, hearing his pony's hoofs on the hard sand and rocks of
the trail, and there was a sincere welcome in her eyes. It was the first
time that he had visited the cabin since he had returned to the Circle
Bar.

"Oh!" she said delightedly. And then, aware of the sudden light that had
come into Hollis's eyes at this evidence of interest, she blushed and
looked down at the hem of her skirt, nervously pushing it out with the
toe of her shoe.

During the days of Hollis's convalescence at the Hazelton cabin he had
seen the young woman in many moods. In none of them, however, had she
seemed so attractive as now. Confusion became her, he decided, and he
regarded her with a new interest as he sat on his pony, awaiting her
invitation to dismount. It came presently.

"It is frightfully hot," she said, moving over to where stood two
chairs--one in wh