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 depression, going toward a ridge whose crest was fringed with dense, tangled shrubbery. Hollis was about to reply to Norton's remark when he saw the latter's lips suddenly straighten; saw his body stiffen as he drew himself erect in the saddle and pulled his pony abruptly up. Surprised, Hollis also reined in and sat silent, looking at Norton. The latter's hand went to one of his ears, the fingers spreading out, fan like. "Listen!" he warned sharply. Hollis had been listening. A low rumble greeted his ears. He looked suddenly upward at the sky, fearful that another storm, such as he had encountered months before, might be forming. But the sky was cloudless. He looked again at Norton. The latter's eyes shone brightly in the moonlight as he leaned toward Hollis. The rumbling had grown more distinct. "It ain't a stampede," said Norton rapidly; "there wouldn't be anything to stampede cattle on a night like this. An' them's cattle!"