Gila in her fierce haughtiness looked into her lover’s eyes and saw, as she had never seen before, the mighty strength of his character!  Saw that here was a man such as she would not likely meet again upon her way, and she was about to lose him forever.  Saw that he would never give in about a matter of principle, and that his love was worth all the more to any woman because he would not; knew which way he would choose, from the first word of her challenge; yet the little fury within her would not let her withdraw.  She stood with haughty mien and cold, flashing eyes, watching him suffer the blow she had dealt him; knew that it was more than his love for her she was killing with that blow, yet did not withdraw it while she might.

“Gila!  Do you mean that?”

She looked him straight in the eye and thrust her sword in the deeper with a steady hand.  “I do!”

He stood for a moment looking steadily at her with that cold, observant glance, as if he would have this last picture of her this way to cut away all tender memories that might cause pain in the future.  Then he turned as if to One who stood by his side.  Not looking back again, he said, clearly and distinctly: 

“I choose!”

And with erect bearing he passed out of the door.

Gila stood, white and furious, her little clenched fists down at her sides, the sharp little teeth biting into the red underlip until the blood came.  She heard the front door shut in the distance, and her soul cried out within her, yet she stood still and held her ground.  She turned her face toward the library window.  Between the curtains she could presently see his tall form walking down the street.  He was not drooping, nor disheartened.  He held his head up and walked as if in company with One whom he was proud to own.  There was nothing dejected about the determined young back.  Fine, noble, handsome as a man could be!  She saw that one glimpse of his figure for a moment, then he passed beyond her sight and she knew in her heart he would come to her no more!  She had sent him from her forever!

She dashed up to her room in a fury and locked herself in.  She wept and stormed and denied herself to every one; she watched and waited for the telephone to ring, yet she knew he would not call her up!

Courtland never knew where he was walking as he went forth that day to meet his sorrow and face it like a man.  He passed some of his professors, but did not see them.  Pat McCluny came up and he looked him in the eye with an unseeing stare, and walked on!

Pat stood still and looked after him, puzzled!

“Holy Mackinaw!  What’s eating the poor stew now!” he ejaculated.  He stood a moment looking back after Courtland as he walked straight ahead, passing several more university fellows without so much as a nod of recognition.  Then he turned and slowly followed, on through the city streets, out into the quieter suburbs, out farther into the real country, mile after mile; out a by-path where grass grew thick and wild flowers straggled under foot, where presently a stream wound soft and deep between steep banks, and rocks loomed high on either hand; under a railroad bridge, and up among the rocks, climbing and puffing till at last they stood upon a great rock, McCluny just a little way behind and out of sight.