He dropped his humor and spoke seriously, questioning Hollis about the location of his ranch, listening quietly and attentively to the latter's answers. Half an hour later after having arranged with Judge Graney for the registering of his brand and the listing of his cattle, Hollis left the court house and went to his office. In running through his mail he came upon Judge Graney's notification and also another letter, postmarked "Chicago," which drew a pleased smile to his face. A few minutes later Norton came in, and though Hollis had done very little on the paper he rose and smilingly announced his intention of returning to the Circle Bar. "We'll take the Coyote trail," he informed Norton, after they had mounted and were riding away from the _Kicker_ office; "I'm stopping for a moment at the Hazelton cabin. Of course," he added, seeing a knowing grin on Norton's face, "I expected you would be suspicious--married folks have a habit of adopting a supercilious and all-wise attitude toward those of us who have been unfortunate enough to remain in a state of single blessedness." "Meanin' that you're some sore because you ain't got hooked up yet?" grinned Norton. "Perhaps," laughed Hollis. "But I have been thinking seriously of trying to reach your altitude." "Girl willin'?" queried Norton, as they rode down through a little gully, then up to a stretch of plain that brought them to the Coyote trail. "That's where I am all at sea," returned Hollis. He laughed. "I suppose you've read Ace's poem in the Kicker?" He caught Norton's nod and continued. "Well, Ace succeeded in crowding a whole lot of truth into that effort. Of course you remember the first couplet: "'Woman--she don't need no tooter, Be she skule ma'am or biscut shooter."' he quoted. "A woman seems to have an intuitive knowledge of man's mental processes. At least she gauges him pretty well without letting 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.