New Britain herald., 1927-02-09
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his fingers.
 She knew what he was going tc do. He was going to tell her how much he loved her, and then he would kiss her. and she would for get all about the wife back east and the little daughter. She would forget how he could be cold and hard and aloof when he saw her in the studio, keeping her in her place as an extra girl during work ing hours no matter what she might be to him, afterward.
 'No.' she said, and she got up end faced him, outlined against the pale wall of the room like some lovely little statuette made of tinted porcelain.
 "No-I don't want you to touch me, Gus" she said and suddenly all her confusion was gone. She knew just what she had to say to him. and how to say it.
 You're married, Gus, and I'm not. And I haven't any business being here with you. It never was right for me to come, even before I knew that you're still married"
 He looked at her, and then turned toward the window, his hands in his pants pockets.
 And, anyway, l don't like the way you treat me-" she went on in that clear firm voice. You can't forget that you're going to have a picture to direct one of these days, and that I'm an extra girl. And I'm not used to being treated that way by people. Back home"
 Yes, back home" He turned on her suddenly, You can't for get that you're here in Hollywood, where people are getting away from their narrow fool notions about never looking at one another if they happen to be married-I ask you, what difference does it make to anyone if you come up here to supper? My wife doesn't know it and doesn't care"
 T care!" Robbie interrupted him, her nostrils widening and her chin going Up proudly, T care too much for myself to run around with a man who still has a wife. l care too much for myself"
 Her voice broke unexpectedly, and she swallowed hard to keep back the warm tears that kept coming up into her throat.
 Ic-c-care too much" she heard herself repeating foolishly, for the third time. And then she was in MacCloud's arms, and he was lift ing her up as if she had been a palm-leaf Ian.
 He carried her across the wide room to the sofa, and set her there, in the corner of it. He put his hands on either side of her face, and as he kissed her she tasted the salt of her own tears on his mouth.
 Little silly - girl" he said kuskily. holding her close to him. Worrying about her respectabil- ity"' He kissed her eyelids. Worrying because I don't make love to her on the set, with a lot of hoodlums looking on,'
 Robbie opened her big eyes. q don't expect you to make love to me at the studio" she said in smothered voice, "but you might at least speak decently 10 mel notice that you hang around Mon- ica a lot lately. But then, she's featured player" And her jealousy of Monica was in her tone.
 She pushed him away from her. Here she was, doing the very thing she had made up her mind not to Go. Letting Gus make love to her and talk her out of her decision.
 "Im going homc," she said sharply, and got up from the deep couch with its piled silk cushions of Chinese red and apricot and gold.
 Gus got up. too. 'I'm going to take you home" he echoed her. The fact of the whole thing is that you don't trust me. You think I'm fooling with you and humiliat- ing you-and if you're off me, it's