But
many times during the day the mountain girl's passionate accusation came
back to her, "You-all are a-lyin'! You-all come back 'cause HE is here."
Nor could she banish from her memory the look that was on Brian Kent's
face that morning when he was carrying her in his arms back from the
brink of the river-bank, over which the frenzied Judy had so nearly sent
her to her death. And so, when the day at last was over, and she was
alone in her room, it was not strange that Betty Jo should face herself
squarely with several definite and pointed and exceedingly personal
questions.
It was like Betty Jo to be honest with herself and to demand of herself
that her problems be met squarely.
"First of all, Betty Jo," she demanded, in her downright,
straightforward way of going most directly to the heart of a matter,
"are you in love with Brian Kent?"
Without hesitation, the answer came, "I have not permitted myself to
love him."
"You have not permitted yourself to love him? That means that you would
be in love with him if you dared, doesn't it?"
And Betty Jo, in the safe seclusion of her room, felt her cheeks burn as
she acknowledged the truth of the deduction.
The next question was inevitable: "Is Brian Kent in love with you, Betty
Jo?"
And Betty Jo, recalling many, many things, was compelled to answer, from
the triumphant gladness of her heart: "He is trying not to be, but he
can't help himself.
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