out in the
picture game; and believe me, I've seen some raw deals!"

"Now, now, don't get peevish, Gil." Jean's drawl was soft, and her
eyes were friendly and amused. So far had their friendship progressed.
"It's awfully dear of you to want to see me a real leading lady. I
appreciate it, and I won't take off that lock of hair I said I'd take
when I shoot you in the foreground. Burns wants a real thrilling
effect close up, and he's told me five times to remember and keep my
face turned away from the camera, so they won't see it isn't Gay. If I
turn around, there will have to be a re-take, he says; and you won't
like that, Gil, not after you've heard a bullet zip past your ear so
close that it will fan your hair. Are--aren't you afraid of me, Gil?"

"Afraid of you?" Gil's horse swung closer, and Gil's eyes threatened
the opening of a tacitly forbidden subject.

"Because if you get nervous and move the least little bit-- To make it
look real, as Bobby described the scene to me, I've got to shoot the
instant you stop to gather yourself for a spring at me. It's that
lightning-draw business I have to do, Gil. I'm to stand three quarters
to the camera, with my face turned away, watching you. You keep
coming, and you stop just an instant when you're almost within reach of
me. In that instant I have to grab my gun and shoot; and it has to
look as if I got you, Gil. I've got to come pretty close, in order to
bring the gun in line with you for the camera. Bobby wants to show off
the quick draw that Lite Avery taught me. That's to be the 'punch' in
the scene. I showed him this morning what it is like, and Bobby is
just tickled to death. You see, I don't shoot the way they usually do
in pictures--"

"I should say not!" Gil interrupted admiringly.

"You haven't seen that quick work, either. It'll look awfully real,
Gil, and you mustn't dodge or duck, whatever you do. It will be just
as if you really were a man I'm deadly afraid of, that has me cornered
at last against that ledge. I'm going to do it as if I meant it. That
will mean that when you stop and kind of measure the distance, meaning
to grab me before I can do anything, I'll draw and shoot from the level
of my belt; no higher, Gil, or it won't be the lightning-draw--as
advertised. I won't have time to take a fine aim, you know."

"Listen!" said Gil, leaning toward her with his eyes very earnest. "I
know all about that. I heard you and Burns talkin