When he finally looked up at John Ivan Jewel, that young man was rolling a cigarette with a fine assumption of indifference, as though giving a three-thousand-dollar note payable in one year and secured with all he owned in the world save his clothes was a mere bagatelle; an unimportant detail of the day's business.
Sudden smoothed his face down with the palm of his hand, as he sometimes did when Mary V demanded that she be taken seriously, and spoke calmly, with neither pity, blame, nor approval in his voice.
"I have held you accountable for the horses stolen through your neglect while you were in charge of Sinkhole range and therefore responsible for their safety within a reasonable limit.

The expenses of your sickness after your fall with your flying machine, I will take care of myself.
You were at that time trying to find Mary V, which naturally I appreciated.

More than that, I make it a rule to pay the expenses of any man hurt in my employ.
"The expense I have been under in hiring men, letting my own work go to the devil, and so forth, while we thought you were lost, I shall not expect you to pay.

As I understand the matter, you had no intention of coming to the ranch and had not said that you were coming.

The expense of looking for you really ought to come out of Mary V--and serve her right for having so much faith in you.