Jean of the Lazy A

e and in that locality he was quite anxious that she should not discover him. Gil was not such a bad fellow, even though he did play "heavies" in all the pictures whi

f the play might decree. Many's the time he had followed girls and men warily through brush-fringed gullies and over picturesque ridges, for the

his director had been, and he hoped to have a chance to talk with her. In his workaday life, Gil Huntley was quite accustomed to being discovered in some villainy, and to having some man or woman point a gun at him with more or less antagonism in voice and manner. But he had never in his life had a girl ride up and "throw down on him" with a gun, actually believing him to be a thief and a scoundrel whom she would shoot if she thought it nec

was not likely that the girl would come back; they could go on with their work and get permission from the girl's uncle afterward. But he did not turn and hurry back. Instead, he waited behind a rock-huddle until Jean was well out of sight,-and while he waited, he took his handkerchief and rubbed hard at the make-up on his face,

n more confidently. At the mouth of Lazy A coulee, just where stood the cluster of huge rocks that had at one time come hurtling down from the higher slopes, and the clump of currant bushes beneath which Jean used to h

out it, she overtook him; rather, the wide loop of her rope overtook him. He ducked, but the loop settled over his head and shoulders and pulled tight about the chest. Jean took two turns of the rope around

fore I turned the cattle loose, but I just let you think you were being real sly and cunning about it. You did it in real moving-picture style; did your fat Mr. Rob

be haughtily indignant with this honest-eyed, embarrassed young fellow with the streaky face and heavily-penciled eyelids was out of the question. The wind caught his

self from being dragged ignominiously from the saddle, kicked his horse and kept pace

voice. "You don't look so terribly blood-thirsty without it; I just guess I'd better keep it for a while. It woul

did not. He wanted to see what she was going to do with him. He grinned when she had her back turned toward him, but he did not say anything for f

eep out of the country," she said impatiently. "Twice you've made me act ridiculous. I don't know what in the world you wanted to

and touched Pard with the spurs. She was out of hearing before Gil Huntley could think of the right thing to say, and she increased the distance between them so

hed a big, black cigar, and paced up and down the level space

ng 'em back, and we'll get to work again. Where'd you say that spring was, Gil? We'll eat before we do anything else. One thing about t

tooped uncomfortably to fill a tin cup. While he waited for the trickle to yield

d shrewdly. "Got any make-up along? You look like a mild case

at all. I didn't want to run my horse to death tr

y, and fished a bit of grass out of the cup wi