"
"So they both declared. Why did you let Panfilo go?"
"We didn't need him here, and he was too good a man to lose, so--"
Ed found his wife's eyes fixed upon him, and dropped his own. "I
knew you were short-handed at La Feria." There was an interval of
silence, then Ed exclaimed, testily, "What are you looking at?"
"I wondered what you'd say."
"Eh? Can't I fire a man without a long-winded explanation?"
Something in Alaire's expression warned him of her suspicion;
therefore he took refuge behind an assumption of anger. "My God!
Don't I have a word to say about my own ranch? Just because I've
let you run things to suit yourself--"
"Wait! We had our understanding." Alaire's voice was low and
vibrant. "It was my payment for living with you, and you know it.
You gave me the reins to Las Palmas so that I'd have something to
do, something to live for and think about, except--your actions.
The ranch has doubled in value, every penny is accounted for, and
you have more money to spend on yourself than ever before. You
have no reason to complain."
Austin crushed his napkin into a ball and flung it from him; with
a scowl he shoved himself back from the table.
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