little cow ponies.

Helen had little to do that day, but followed every action of the
company with interest.

"What do you think of it?" she asked Janet that night as they lounged on
the broad verandah of the ranchhouse.

"I like it a lot," said Janet whole-heartedly. "Of course I realize I'm
no actress, but the picture's good and clean and it's a consolation to
be in something like that."

Helen was silent for a time.

"What do you think about our future in the movies?" she asked.

Janet pondered the question before answering, for she, too, had been
wondering that very thing.

"If you want to know the truth, I think we're just about where we
belong. I know I'm not a real actress. I can get by in a picture like
this or in some minor role, but I'd never make a really top-notch
actress and it would be rather heart-breaking to stay here and do this
year in and year out."

"Then that means you'll go back to Clarion when summer's over?" Helen
asked the question with a touch of desperate anxiety in her voice.

"I suppose so," replied Janet slowly, "for I know that I won't be
especially happy here. It's been glorious fun and it still is, but it
can't last forever and I'm not fooling myself about that for a minute."

They were silent for a time, wondering if the coming fall would bring an
end to their close companionship. If Janet went back to Clarion, it
would be only logical that Helen would stay on in Hollywood with her
father and mother. The thought of parting was not a pleasant prospect to
either girl.

They went to bed later without discussing the matter further, but as the
shooting of "Water Hole" progressed and August drew to a close, it was
constantly in their minds.

Helen's father and mother came out to visit them on location several
times, but neither one of them mentioned any plans for Helen.

"Two more days of work and we'll have the picture in the can," Billy
Fenstow told the company one morning. "We're right on schedule and I
want to finish that way, but we've got some hard riding scenes to get
out of the way."

The director turned to Janet.

"We've got to shoot that scene of your ride from town to the ranch to
warn Curt that his enemies are riding to wipe out his ranch," he said.
"Are you ready?"

Janet nodded and swung into the saddle of the rangy sorrel.

Billy Fenstow climbed onto the light truck which carried the cameras and
Janet's horse trotted along behind as the vehicle rolled away