“Fine! Fine!” she cried. “Those two alone, Boardman and Edith Lang, are strong enough to carry the play on their own shoulders.”
“They won’t have to,” said Raymond Howell, with conviction. “When you have a chance to look over our supporting cast, Miss Fielding, I think you will agree with us that they don’t come any better.”
Ruth’s eyes were shining. Here was an adventure after her own heart. Not only had she good actors to work with, but a fine vehicle as well. The film version of “The Girl of Gold” was practically predestined for success because of the wide popularity of the story upon which it had been based. And with her own favorite leading man in the part of Jimmy Drake, the hero of the play, and Edith Lang playing the heavy emotional rôle, it seemed that the chances of failure were so remote as to be scarcely considered.
Yet through all her exultation and excitement, Ruth felt a tiny ache of conscience when she thought of Tom. He was being such a sport about it—as indeed he had been all along. He could have made it so hard for her to accept Mr. Hammond’s proposal if he had wanted to. If he had been irritable or cranky about her work she would not have minded putting him off so much. As it was——
She stole an anxious little side glance at him and was relieved to see that he looked quite cheerful. He was speaking to Mr. Hammond and his voice was cheerful too. Ruth could not have guessed what an effort it was for Tom to make it so.
“Something has been said about almost everybody but the young lady that plays the title rôle,” he was remarking with a humorous look. “Doesn’t she count?”
“Not so much,” answered Mr. Hammond, smiling. “Her part is not nearly so exacting as that of Boardman or Edith Lang, and we have two or three stars quite capable of meeting the requirements. We are leaving the selection to the discretion of our new director here,” turning with a quizzical smile to Ruth. “I think you will all agree with me that she has an unusual knack in the selection of leading ladies!”
Ruth knew he referred to her own part in the making of her last picture when, upon the defection of her leading lady, Viola Callahan, Ruth had stepped into the lead herself.
She flushed now and looked a bit self-conscious.
“The particular leading lady you have in mind was of your selection,” she reminded him, and there was a general laugh.