go somewhere else, Angus. You're only in my way."

"In a minute," he replied, frowning at his reading.

"Where did you go last night--to Faith's?"

"Uh-huh!"

"You might have asked me to go along."

"Huh!"

"You're extra polite this morning!" his sister observed with irony.
"Whatever are you reading? Well, of all things! A jeweler's catalogue!
What on earth--"

Angus held it out to her.

"Here," he said, "I know nothing about such things. Pick out a ring."

"A ring!" Miss Jean exclaimed, astounded. "I don't want a ring, I mean I
can get along without one."

"That's lucky," said her brother, "because the ring I want you to pick
out is for Faith."

"Good Lord!" cried Miss Jean, and fell limply upon a couch. Recovering
herself she rushed upon him, threw her arms around his neck, and
punctuated her words with emphatic hugs. "You big, old fraud. But I'm
glad, really I am. When--where--"

"Last night," Angus told her. "That was what I was making up my mind
about. I didn't know whether I should ask her just now."

"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."

"Quick