“Why?” she demanded. There were those puzzling lights back in her eyes as he met them. He was confused.
“Well, you might get hurt.”
“Oh!”
“You might get killed sometime. And it wouldn’t make the least difference to me, your using a double. I’d like you just the same.”
“I see; it wouldn’t be the way it was with Baxter when you found it out.”
“No; you—you’re different. I don’t want you to get killed,” he added, rather blankly. He was still amazed at this discovery.
“All right, Kid. I won’t,” she replied soothingly.
“I’ll like you just as much,” he again assured her, “no matter how many doubles you have.”
“Well, you’ll be having doubles yourself, sooner or later—and I’ll like you, too.” She reached over to his hand, but this time she held it. He returned her strong clasp. He had not liked to think of her being mangled perhaps by a fall into a quarry when the cable gave way—and the camera men would probably keep on turning!
“I always been funny about men,” she presently spoke again, still gripping his hand. “Lord knows I’ve seen enough of all kinds, bad and good, but I always been kind of afraid even of the good ones. Any one might not think it, but I guess I’m just natural-born shy. Man-shy, anyway.”