that he had so persistently--in all their companionship, in their most
intimate moments together even--held this invisible and, to her, unknown
barrier between them, convinced her beyond a doubt of the essential
integrity of his character, and compelled her admiration and confidence.

"That is exactly it, Betty Jo," she told herself sadly; "you love him
because he tries so hard to keep himself from loving you."

And thus Betty Jo proved the correctness of Auntie Sue's loving estimate
of her character and justified the dear old teacher's faith in the
sterling quality of her womanhood.

Face to face with herself, fairly and squarely, the girl accepted the
truth of the situation for Brian and for herself, and determined her
course. She must go away,--she must go at once.

She wished that she had not returned to the log house by the river.
She had never fully admitted to herself the truth of her feeling toward
Brian until Judy had so unexpectedly precipitated the crisis; but, she
knew, now, that Judy was right, and that the real reason for her return
was her love for him. She knew, as well, that her very love,--which,
once fully admitted and recognized by her, demanded with all the
strength of her young womanhood the nearness and companionship of the
mate her heart had chosen,--demanded, also, that she help him to keep
that fine sense of honor and true nobility of character which had won
her.

She understood instinctively that,--now that she had confessed her love
to herself,--she would, in spite of herself, tempt him in a thousand
ways to throw aside that barrier which he had so honorably maintained