By three o’clock of the day when he was to give Dewitt his decision, Luck was convinced that the two conditions he never failed to mention were as two iron bars across every trail that might otherwise have been open to him.  No motion picture company seemed to feel that it needed seven inexperienced men on its payroll.  A few general managers suggested letting them work as extras, but the majority could not see the proposition at all.  They were more willing to give Luck the free hand which he demanded, had negotiations ever reached that far, which they did not.

The Happy Family, Luck was forced to admit to himself, was a very serious handicap for an out-of-work director to carry at the beginning of the rainy season.  He did his best, and he spent two sleepless nights over the doing, but he simply could not land them anywhere.  He talked himself hoarse for them, he painted them geniuses all; he declared that they would make themselves and their company—­supposing they were accepted—­famous for Western pictures.  He worked harder to place them in the business than he would ever work to find himself a job, and he failed absolutely.

Dewitt’s eyes questioned him the moment he stood inside the office.  Dewitt had heard something of Luck’s efforts since their last meeting; and although he admired Luck the more for his loyalty, he felt quite certain that now he was convinced of his defeat, Luck would hesitate no longer over stepping into the official shoes of Robert Grant Burns, who was lying on his broad back, and shouting pitifully futile commands to his company and asking an imaginary camera-man questions which were as Greek to the soft-footed nurse.  Dewitt, having just come from a visit to Burns, had a vivid mental picture of that ward in the Sister’s hospital.  But alongside that picture was another, quite as vivid, of Luck Lindsay standing beside Pete Lowry’s camera with a script in his hand, explaining to Jean Douglas the business of some particular scene.

“Well?” queried Dewitt, and motioned Luck to a chair.

“Well,” Luck echoed, and stopped for a breath.  “No use wasting time, Mr. Dewitt.  I can’t take any position that doesn’t include the Flying U boys.  I’m certainly sorry that prevents my accepting your offer.  I appreciate all it would mean for me and for my Big Picture to be with you.  But—­some things mean more—­”

“You’re under no obligations to tie your own hands just because theirs are not free,” Dewitt reminded him sharply.

“I know I’m not.”

“Can you figure where it will be to their advantage for you to refuse a good position just because they happen to be out of work?”

“I’m not trying to figure anything like that.  Some things don’t have to be figured.  Some things just are!  Do you see what I mean?  Those boys didn’t wait to do any figuring.  When I quit the Acme, they quit—­just as a matter of course.  If I were as loyal to them as they have been to me, Mr. Dewitt, I wouldn’t have taken two days to give you my answer.  I’d have told you day before yesterday what I’m telling you now.”