role?"

It was the director's turn to chuckle. "She doesn't have to," he said.
"Janet is playing opposite Curt Newsom in the lead right now."

Chapter Two

SHOOTING ON LOCATION

Janet stared hard at the chubby director. It was hard to believe that
Billy Fenstow would joke with her now. That would be too cruel.

"Don't you believe me, Janet?" he asked.

"It can't be possible," she murmured. "Why, I'm an unknown. You wouldn't
put me into the leading role."

Just then Curt Newsom, the western star arrived.

"How's the new leading lady?" he asked.

"I--I don't know," gasped Janet. "I'm not sure. Everything seems to be
in kind of a whirl. I guess I'll sit down."

Janet dropped into a nearby chair, oblivious of the fact that it was the
cherished property of the director.

"It's grand, Janet, simply grand," exclaimed Helen. "My, but I'm proud
of you."

Billy Fenstow came over to Janet.

"You needn't be so surprised," he said.

"Only don't let this go to your head. It doesn't take a whole lot of
acting ability to be a leading lady in a western. All you've got to have
is a fair amount of beauty, some brains, and the ability to keep on top
of a horse."

Janet, recalling her experiences in "Broad Valley," the first picture
they had appeared in, smiled a little ruefully.

"I don't know whether I'll even be able to stay on a horse," she
admitted.

"Then we'll glue you into the saddle," smiled the director.

Others in the company came up. Most of them had been in the earlier
picture and without exception they congratulated Janet on winning the
leading role.

The weather was ideal and Billy Fenstow intended to make the most of it
by shooting all of the exteriors possible.

Promptly at seven o'clock a large bus rolled onto the lot and the entire
company, numbering some thirty-three, including the technicians, boarded
the big vehicle.

Their destination was a ranch well into the foothills and it was after
noon before they arrived. This particular outfit had never before been
used for film purposes for it was well away from the usual run of
traffic and harder to reach than some of the layouts nearer the studio.

The ranchhouse was large and comfortable and arrangements were made for
all of the girls in the company to stay there while the men would be
quartered in the bunkhouse with the exception of the director, who
planned to drive back and forth from the nearest town.

A truck loaded with camera