Ruth was evidently embarrassed; it was hard to get her to talk about Paul any more. But Bunny persisted, he was so anxious to know Paul, he said, and it seemed as if Paul didn’t like him. Only then was Ruth moved to tell him what Paul had said. “He was mad because Pap had sold the ranch. He says we hadn’t ought to done it.”
“But what else could you do?”
“He says we’d ought to sell the goats, and pay the bank, and raise strawberries, like some o’ the folks is doin’ here. We could git along and be independent—”
“Paul is so proud!” cried Bunny. “He’s so afraid of charity!”
“No, it ain’t exactly that,” said Ruth.
“What is it then?”
“Well—it ain’t very polite to talk about—” Ruth was embarrassed again.
“What is it, Ruth? I want to try to understand Paul.”
“Well, he says your Pap is a big oil man, and he says there’s oil on this ranch, and you know it, for he told you so.”
There was a silence.