"Your friends don't want you just now. When you started for Vancouver, I think you ought to have told me about your ranching experiment."
"I didn't know," said Jimmy in an apologetic voice. "I saw a map in a land-agent's window and something called. I hesitated for a few minutes and then went in."
"Then, you didn't go to Vancouver in order to buy a ranch?"
"Not at all—" said Jimmy and stopped, because he did not want to state why he did go. "Of course, it looks like a rash plunge," he resumed. "Still I doubt if it really is rash and I imagined you would approve."
Laura smiled. "I don't know much about ranching."
"Not long ago you declared I ought to have an occupation."
"Then, you felt you must get to work because I thought you ought?" said Laura and gave Jimmy a gentle glance.
Jimmy's heart beat, but he knitted his brows. He was sincere and Laura was not altogether accountable for his resolve.
"Well," he said in a thoughtful voice, "I was getting slack and loafing along the easy way, until you pulled me up. I owe you much for that. You forced me to ponder and I began to see loafing was dangerous. One must have an object and I looked about—"
He stopped, with some embarrassment, and Laura saw he was moved. Jimmy did owe her something, for she had meddled at a moment when he was vaguely dissatisfied and looking for a lead. At the beginning, she was not selfish; she wanted him to stop and ponder, but he had started off again and was not going where she wanted him to go.