lives in the cattle industry give it the stamp
of their approval; one picture that would make such men forget the
present and relive the old days when they were punchers all and proud of
it. Such an opportunity came to me last fall and I made the most of it. I
got me a bunch of real boys, and went to work on the picture I have
called _The Phantom Herd._ From the trail-herds going north I have tried
to weave into my story a glimpse of the whole history of the range
critter, from the shivering, new-born calf that hit the range along with
a spring blizzard, to the big, four-year-old steer prodded up the chutes
into the shipping cars.

"I want you, who know the false from the real, to see _The Phantom Herd_
and say whether I have done my work well. I finished the picture
yesterday, and I have brought it down here for the purpose of asking you
to honor me by accepting an invitation to a private showing of the
picture this evening, here in this hall. I want you to come and bring
your wives and your children with you if you can. I want you to see _The
Phantom Herd_ before it goes to the public--and to-morrow I shall face
you again and accept your verdict. You know the West. You will know a
Western picture when you see it. I know you know, and I want you to tell
me what you think of it. Your word will be final, as far as I am
concerned. Gentlemen, I hope you will all be present here to-night at
eight o'clock as my guests. I thank you for your attention."

Luck went away from there feeling, and telling himself emphatically, that
he had made a "rotten" talk. He had not said what he had meant to say, or
at least he had not said it the way he had meant to say it. But he was
too busy to dwell much upon his deficiencies as an orator; he had yet to
borrow a projection machine and operator from somewhere--for, as usual,
he had issued his invitation before he had definitely arranged for the
exhibition, and had trusted to luck and his own efforts to be able to
keep his promise.

Luck (or his own efforts) landed him within easy conversational reach of
a man who was preparing to open a little theater on a side street. The
seats were not in yet, but he had his machine, and he meant to operate it
himself, while his wife sold tickets and his boy acted as usher,--a
family combination which to Luck seemed likely to be a success. This man,
when Luck made known his needs, said he was perfectly willing to "limber
up" his machine and himself on