"Why shouldn't you? If she cares—"
"It wasn't that. You see I owe a good deal of money."
"How much?" asked Jean, who knew little about the finances of the ranch.
"Nearly ten thousand dollars."
"What?" gasped Jean. "Impossible."
"Nothing impossible about it. That includes the principal of the mortgage father gave Braden when he bought that timber that was burnt out afterwards. When I had to run the ranch I couldn't pay much interest, and Braden carried it along. Then of course there was the hail last year, and the drouth this. And I had to borrow money from him on my note, to pay something that wasn't my fault, but couldn't be helped. Now I have just had a letter from Braden saying that the mortgage and note are past due. I suppose that's a matter of form, and I can make arrangements with him."
"And with all that you sent me off to get an education," said Jean bitterly. "Oh, I wish—"
"That was a mere drop in the bucket. Nobody can take that away from you, no matter what happens. Now about this ring—"
"Do you think you should buy one—now?"
"I would buy a ring and a good one now if it took my share of the ranch," Angus declared frowning. "You will pick out one that she can wear in any company at all. Find out what she prefers, and get one like it but a good deal better, and never mind the cost. And to save trouble, you had better order a wedding ring at the same time."