"Don't you believe it," said Mildred, with rather more violence than the subject under discussion warranted. "I went to high school with her for a year and then thank goodness Father sent me to a private school. She was the greatest smart Aleck you ever saw. Had herself elected president of the class and was always showing off, getting medals for never being late and never missing a single day of school since she started. She was always acting in plays and getting up class entertainments for devastated Europe. Some of the girls in Ryeville wanted to ask her to join our club, but I just told them they could count me out if they did any such thing." "Me too!" said Nan. "And I tell you Buck Hill is too nice a place for parties for the set to let Nan and me out. She's got a place as teacher now, out in the county near Clayton. I can't abide her. She even had the impertinence to tell some of the girls once that the original name of her family was the same as ours--that her old grandfather, Dick Buck, had told her so. The idea! Next she'll be claiming kin with us Bucknors." "What's that? What's that?" asked Mr. Bucknor, dropping his paper. "Who claims kin with us?" "Old Dick Buck's granddaughter. Isn't it ridiculous?" "Not at all," spoke Cousin Ann, coming into the conversation as a ship in full sail might break into a fleet of fishing boats. "Not ridiculous at all. In fact, quite the proper thing for the young woman in question to do. She, too, may have pride of birth and there is no reason why she should not claim what is due her." "But--" interrupted Mildred. Miss Ann Peyton paid no attention at all to the girl. She addressed her remarks to Jeff, who was all respectful attention. "Yes, cousin, the Bucks are descended from the Bucknors quite as much as you or I are. I recall it all now, although I have not thought of it for many, many years. I can remember hearing my grandfather tell of a brother of his Grandfather Bucknor who, out of pure carelessness, dropped the last syllable of his name. It was in connection with a transfer of property. The deed was recorded wrongly, naming Richard Buck. He was a lazy man and rather than go to the trouble of having the matter corrected he just allowed himself to be called Richard Buck. He left Kentucky after that, but his son returned later on. My grandfather told me a slump in fortune began from that time and the Buck branch of the family has been on the downward road ever since. Perhaps, having reached the bottom, this young person is now ascending. But low or high, the fact remains that she is kin." "Bless my soul!" exclaimed Mr. Bucknor, "I didn't dream that old tale had a word of truth in it. I've heard old Dick Buck, when he was drunk, insisting that he belonged to my family, but it sounded ridiculous on the face of it." "Exactly!" chorused Mildred and Nan. "However, I must look into the matter," the father continued somewhat pompously. "If the girl is kin we must claim her."