Jean of the Lazy A

estern Company asked, with the tolerant air which the sophisticated wear when confron

helplessly toward Gil Huntley. "I noticed i

en the cattle half a mile or more, had helped to "steal" two calves out

wire came by carloads into the country, pulled a newspaper towards him, borrowed a pencil from Burns, and sketch

wing a loop with any man in the country and ride and all that,-been raised right out there on the Lazy A. Say! Why don't you go out and see Carl Douglas, and see if you can't get the use of the Lazy A for your pictures? Seems to me that's just the kinda place you want. Don't anybody live there now

ures in. And, say! You want a written agreement with Carl. Have the use of his stock included, or he'll tax you extra. Have everything included," advised the old cowman, with a sweep of his palm and his voice lowered discreetly. "Won't need to cost you much,-not if you don't give him any encouragement to expect

lay up to them Bar Nothing boys-Lite Avery and Joe Morris and Red. You ought to get some great pictures out there, man. Them boys can sure ride and r

exterior ranch scenes very soon, and the place he had half decided upon did not altogether please him. He inquired about roads and distances, and waddled off to the hotel parlor to ask Muriel Gay, his blond leading woman, if she w

ittle private scouting-trip of their own, to see if that fat moving-picture man was making fr

upon that sandy hollow which experienced drivers approached with a mental bracing for the struggle ahead, and with tightened lines and whip held ready. Even then they stuck fast, as often as not,

he Lazy A on the way back to town. He wanted to take a few exterior ranch-house scenes that day, for Robert Grant Burns was far more energetic than his bulk would lead one to suppose. He had Pete Lowry, his camera man, in the seat beside

laid his toe lightly on the brake. It pleased him to be considered a dare-devil driver; that is why he always drove whatever machine carried him. They went lurching down the curving grade into the hollow, and struck the patch of sand

to clear the front axle, and coming up now and then to wipe the perspiration from his eyes and puff the purple out of his complexion. Pete Lowry always ducked his head lower over the jack when he saw the heaving of flesh which heralded these resting times, so that the boss could no

e upon stalled automobilists. This was not the first machine that had come to grief in t

help, about now," Lite observed casu

ithin forty miles of here? We need about twelve good horses, I should say." Lee's experien

asked her, as if he himself were ab

; somebody might want to drive past," Jean told him in much the same to

ile if we stay here till you move us," snap

ok around. He had been composing a monologue upon the subject of sand, and he ha

he saw how her eyebrows pinched together. "I wonder if you could tell us where we can find teams

red to take you out on solid ground, but y

I think you can do just about anythin

, and permitted Pard to b

eply whatever. Jean merely turned and rode around to where Li

asked distinctly. "I think perhaps w

ngers dropping to his coiled rope. "Seems queer to me that folks should wan

to the right. There's a little sod to give your tires a better grip. It's rough, but you could make it all right if you drive carefully, and the bunch of you get out and walk. Don't try to keep around on the ridge; there's a deep washout on each side, so you couldn't possibly make it. We c

nd they'll stand for a whole lot; but there's a limit. Wait till I get the ropes fixed, before you

rant Burns glistened at the "picture-stuff" she made. He glanced eloquently at Pete, and Pete gave a twisted smile

close, and even through her grease-paint make-up she betrayed the fact that she knew exactly what her directo

at he was absolutely soulless where picture-effects were concerned. Her riding had all along been a subject of discord between them. She had learned to ride

e horn, all ready to pull; with her muscles tensed for the coming struggle with the sand,-and perhaps with her horse as

Jean drawled, with a little

er not," he warned. "Things are liable to

nds for Pard. I've taken a co

ected, waiving the argument. "When we start, you all

Lowry bent his back to start the engin

replied Jea

ounded like the crack of doom. The two horses went wild, as their riders had half expected them to do. They lunged away from the horror behind them, and the slack ropes tightened with a jerk. Both were good rope horses, and the strain of t

cause of the rope, he bucked as he had not done since he was a half-broken broncho. That started Lite Avery's ho

and saw Pete Lowry, humped over the wheel like any speed demon, go lurching off across the hollow in the wake

ed his horse to one side, out of the danger zone of the ot

she saw him come plunging toward her, knife

yawning, water-washed hole, and Lite rode close and slashed Jean's rope, in spite of h

him so, and after a little Jean persuaded him to go back as far as

er face made remarks about folks butting in. And the fat man talked into his double chin; dunno what all he was saying. Here's

ad they're out of the sand?" Jean held her ho

ne some damage." Lite grinned an

ranch for awhile, but don't tell Aunt Ella." She turned to ride on up the hill toward the Lazy A, but stoppe

I guess they ain't any worse off than they was before. Anyway

had sent Robert Grant Burns into their lives; and that, by a somewhat roundabout method, she was going to use the