would not be held in check
longer, he cackled aloud.

He saw Hollis shoot a quick glance at him. He cackled again, his mirth
swelling as he caught the surprised and puzzled expression of Hollis's
face.

"I have a very original opinion of people who laugh without any visible
cause," remarked the latter, grinning reluctantly in the semi-darkness.

Norton's reply was another cackle. They rode in silence for a long time.

Then Norton spoke. "This is a great country," he said.

Silence from Hollis, though taking a quick glance at him Norton again
observed the puzzled grin on his face.

"And original," he remarked, placing upon the latter word the same
peculiar emphasis that Hollis had given it a moment before.

Hollis grinned widely; he began to detect a subtle meaning in the range
boss's speech and actions. But he did not answer; it would not strain
his patience to await until such a time as Norton made his meaning
clear.

"But there's some things that ain't original," continued Norton in the
same tone, after another short silence.

This remark clearly required comment. Hollis grinned mildly. "Meaning
what?" he questioned.

Norton met his gaze gravely. "Meanin' that the ways of makin' love are
pretty much the same in every country." He laughed. "I know there's
different ways of makin' it--in books," he continued; "the folks which
write books make their men an' women go at it all kinds of ways. But did
you ever know anyone in real life to make love to a girl any different
than anyone else?"

"I have had no experience in love making," returned Hollis, puzzled
again.

Norton cackled. "No," he said, "an' that's the peculiar part of it.
Mostly no one has ever had any experience when they start to makin' love
the first time. But they all make it the same way. That's why it ain't
original. You take a man which has got in love with a girl--any man. He
don't want anyone to know that he's in love with her--he feels sorta
sheepish about it. Goes around hangin' his head an' blushin', an' mostly
not sayin' anything about it. Once he gets it into his system he ain't
the same man any more. Takes to actin' reserved like an' gentle. But
them that's had experience can see the symptoms. There ain't no way to
hide it."

Had Norton looked at Hollis now he might have observed a touch of red in
the young man's face. But he did not look; he was watching the trail
ahead, smiling broadly.

They had been riding through a deep depr