it over. Think what you
could do with Jean Douglas, for instance. I'll try and get her back; I
think perhaps I can. She's married, but I think they'll both come if I
make it worth their while. Come and see me day after to-morrow, will you?
We'll say four o'clock again. Good-by."

So Luck went away with temptation whispering in his ear.

CHAPTER NINE

LEAVE IT TO THE BUNCH

Not a word did Luck say to the Happy Family about his big opportunity.
Instead, he avoided them half guiltily, and he filled the next day and
the one after that by seeing, or trying to see, the head of every motion
picture company in that part of the State. He even sent a night letter to
a big company at Santa Barbara. Always he stipulated that he must take
his own cowboys with him and have a free hand in the production of
Western pictures--since he did not mean to risk having another irate
author descend upon him with threats of a lawsuit.

By three o'clock of the day when he was to give Dewitt his decision,
Luck was convinced that the two conditions he never failed to mention
were as two iron bars across every trail that might otherwise have been
open to him. No motion picture company seemed to feel that it needed
seven inexperienced men on its payroll. A few general managers
suggested letting them work as extras, but the majority could not see
the proposition at all. They were more willing to give Luck the free
hand which he demanded, had negotiations ever reached that far, which
they did not.

The Happy Family, Luck was forced to admit to himself, was a very serious
handicap for an out-of-work director to carry at the beginning of the
rainy season. He did his best, and he spent two sleepless nights over the
doing, but he simply could not land them anywhere. He talked himself
hoarse for them, he painted them geniuses all; he declared that they
would make themselves and their company--supposing they were
accepted--famous for Western pictures. He worked harder to place them in
the business than he would ever work to find himself a job, and he failed
absolutely.

Dewitt's eyes questioned him the moment he stood inside the office.
Dewitt had heard something of Luck's efforts since their last meeting;
and although he admired Luck the more for his loyalty, he felt quite
certain that now he was convinced of his defeat, Luck would hesitate no
longer over stepping into the official shoes of Robert Grant Burns, who
was lying on his broad bac