ding
stuff, prob'ly, or a row of flips or something light. Anything heavy
comes up--me for a double of my own." She glanced sidewise at her
listener. "Then you won't like me any more, hey, Kid, after you find out
I'm using a double?"

He had listened attentively, absorbed in her talk, and seemed startled
by this unforeseen finish. He turned anxious eyes on her. It occurred
to him for the first time that he did not wish the Montague girl to do
dangerous things any more. "Say," he said quickly, amazed at his own
discovery, "I wish you'd quit doing all those--stunts, do you call 'em?"

"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."

He glowed with a confession of his own. "You know, I'm that way, too.
Girl-shy. I felt awful awkward when I had to kiss you in the other
piece. I never did, really--" He floundered a moment, but was presently
blurting out the meagre details of that early amour with Edwina May
Pulver. He stopped this recital in a sudden panic fear that the girl
would make fun of him. He was immensely relieved when she merely renewed
the strength of the handclasp.

"I know. That's the way with me. Of course I can put over the acting
stuff, even vamping, but I'm afraid of men off-stage. Say, would you
believe it, I ain't ever had but one