erving the
ineffective practice.

"Hello, Flips! Sure, you can try it. Show these boys something good,
now. Here, Al, give Miss Montague that stickeree of yours." Al seemed
glad to relinquish the weapon. Miss Montague hefted it, and looked
doubtful.

"It ain't balanced right," she declared. "Haven't you got one with a
heavier handle?"

"Fair enough," said the director. "Hey, Pickles, let her try that one
you got." Pickles, too, was not unwilling to oblige.

"That's better," said the girl. "It's balanced right." Taking the blade
by its point between thumb and forefinger she sent it with a quick flick
of the wrist into the wall a dozen feet away. It hung there quivering.

"There! That's what we want. It's got to be quivering when Jack shoots
at Ramon who threw it at him as he leaps through the window. Try it
again, Flips." The girl obliged and bowed impressively to the applause.

"Now come here and try it through the doorway." He led her around the
set. "Now stand here and see can you put it into the wall just to the
right of the window. Good! Some little knife-thrower, I'll say. Now try
it once with Jack coming through. Get set, Jack."

Jack made his way to the window through which he was to leap. He paused
there to look in with some concern. "Say, Mr. Burke, will you please
make sure she understands? She isn't to let go of that thing until I'm
in and crouched down ready to shoot--understand what I mean? I don't
want to get nicked nor nothing."

"All right, all right! She understands."

Jack leaped through the window to a crouch, weapon in hand. The knife
quivered in the wall above him as he shot.

"Fine and dandy. Some class, I'll say. All right, Jack. Get back. We'll
gun this little scene right here and now. All ready, Jack, all ready
Miss Montague--camera!--one, two, three--come in, Jack." Again the knife
quivered in the wall above his head even while he crouched to shoot at
the treacherous Mexican who had thrown it.

"Good work, Flips. Thanks a whole lot. We'll do as much for you some
time."

"You're entirely welcome, Mr. Burke. No trouble to oblige. How you
coming?"

"Coming good. This thing's going to be a knockout. I bet it'll gross a
million. Nearly done, too, except for some chase stuff up in the hills.
I'll do that next week. What you doing?"

"Oh, everything's jake with me. I'm over on Number Four--Toys of
Destiny--putting a little pep into the mob stuff. Laid out for two
hours, waiting for