The Moving Picture Girls at Rocky Ranch Or, Great Days Among the Cowboys   By: Laura Lee Hope

Or

Great Days Among the Cowboys

by

LAURA LEE HOPE

Author of "The Moving Picture Girls," "The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms," "The Outdoor Girls Series," "The Bobbsey Twins Series," Etc.

Illustrated

The Goldsmith Publishing Co. Cleveland Made in U. S. A.

Copyright, 1914, by Grosset & Dunlap

Press of The Commercial Bookbinding Co. Cleveland

[Illustration: "WE ARE HEMMED IN BY THE PRAIRIE FIRE!" Moving Picture Girls at Rocky Ranch. Page 192. ]

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I THE SPY 1

II WESTERN PLANS 13

III A DARING FEAT 23

IV A CLOUD OF SMOKE 32

V A MIX UP 42

VI THE AUTO SMASH 49

VII OFF FOR THE WEST 56

VIII THE OIL WELL 66

IX THE RIVALS 72

X THE CYCLONE 78

XI AT ROCKY RANCH 90

XII SUSPICIONS 96

XIII AT THE BRANDING 109

XIV A WARNING 117

XV THE INDIAN RITES 125

XVI PRISONERS 134

XVII THE RESCUE 143

XVIII A RUSH OF STEERS 156

XIX TOO MUCH REALISM 163

XX IN THE OPEN 168

XXI THE BURNING GRASS 178

XXII HEMMED IN 186

XXIII THE ESCAPE 193

XXIV A DISCLOSURE 201

XXV THE ROUND UP 208

THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH

CHAPTER I

THE SPY

"Well, Ruth, aren't you almost ready?"

"Just a moment, Alice. I can't seem to get my collar fastened in the back. I wish I'd used the old fashioned hooks and eyes instead of those new snaps."

"Oh, I think those snaps are just adorable!"

"Oh, Alice DeVere! Using such an extreme expression!"

"What expression, Ruth?"

"'Adorable!' You sometimes accuse me of using slang, and there you go "

"'Adorable' isn't slang," retorted Alice.

"Oh, isn't it though? Since when?"

"There you go yourself! You're as bad as I am."

"Well, it must be associating with you, then," sighed Ruth.

"No, Ruth, it's this moving picture business. It just makes you use words that mean something, and not those that are merely sign posts. I'm glad to see that you are getting sensible. But never mind about that. Are you ready to go to the studio? I'm sure we'll be late."

"Oh, please help me with this collar. I wish I'd made this waist with the new low cut effect. Not too low, of course," Ruth added hastily, as she caught a surprised glance from her sister.

Two girls were in a room about which were strewn many articles of feminine adornment. Yet it was not an untidy apartment. True, dresser drawers did yawn and disclose their contents, and closet doors gaped at one, showing a collection of shoes and skirts. But then the occupants of the room might have been forgiven, for they were in haste to keep an appointment.

"There, Ruth," finally exclaimed the younger of the two girls yet she was not so much younger not more than two years. "I think your collar is perfectly sweet."

"It's good of you to say so. You know I got it at that little French shop around the corner, but sewed some of that Mexican drawn lace on to make it a bit higher. Now I'm sorry I did, for I had to put in those snap fasteners instead of hooks. And if you don't get them to fit exactly they come loose. It's like when the film doesn't come right on the screen, and the piano player sounds a discord to call the operator's attention to it."

"You've hit it, sister mine."

"Oh, Alice! There you go again. 'Hit it!'"

"You'd say 'hit it' at a baseball game," Alice retorted.