Then, again, Brian Kent was alone in the night with his thoughts.

And the river swept steadily on its shining way through the moonlit
world to the distant sea.



CHAPTER XVII.

AN AWKWARD SITUATION.


Frequent letters from Betty Jo informed Brian and Auntie Sue of that
practical and businesslike young woman's negotiations with various
Eastern publishers, until, at last, the matter was finally settled to
Betty Jo's satisfaction.

She had contracted with a well-known firm for the publication of the
book. The details were all arranged. The work was to begin immediately.
Betty Jo was returning to the little log house by the river.

Brian drove to Thompsonville the morning she was to arrive, and it
seemed to him that "Old Prince" had never jogged so leisurely along the
winding river road, yet he was at the little mountain station nearly an
hour before the train was due.

Those weeks had been very anxious weeks to Brian, in spite of Auntie
Sue's oft-repeated assurances that no publisher could fail to recognize
the value of his work. And, to be entirely truthful, Brian himself,