So the old men gossiped, basking in the autumn sunshine. They still quarreled over the outcome of the war between the states, but now they had a fresh topic of never-ending interest to discuss and that was their own debut party. Congratulations were ever in order on their extreme cleverness in giving the ball. Pete Barnes was ever declaring, "It was my idee, though, my idee! And didn't we launch our little girl, though? I hear tell she is going to be asked to join the girls' club. That's a secret. I believe the girls are going to wait until Mildred and Nan Bucknor are on the rolling deep. As for the young men--they are worse than bears about a bee tree. Judy won't have much to do with them though. But you needn't tell me she doesn't like it." "Sure she does. She's too healthy-minded not to like beaux. There she comes now! I can see her car way up the street--just a blue speck," cried Judge Middleton. "Sure enough! There she is! She's got her mother in with her." "That's not Mrs. Buck. Mrs. Buck always sits in Judy's car as though she were scared to death--and she hasn't white hair either." "Hi, Miss Judy!" "Hi, yourself!" and Judith stopped her car in front of the hotel. "Boys, that's Miss Ann Peyton!" cried Major Fitch. "Miss Ann or I'll eat my hat!" "She's already eaten her wig. No wonder we didn't know her! And she's left off her hoops!" cried the Judge. The old men removed their feet from railing, dropped their chairs to all fours, sprang up and, standing in a row, made a low bow to the occupants of the little blue car. Then they trooped off the porch and gathered in a circle around the ladies. "The last I heard of you, Miss Ann, was that you were lost," said Judge Middleton. "Not a bit of it," declared Judith. "She is found." "Yes--and I think I've found myself, too," said Miss Ann softly. "I am visiting my dear young cousin, Judith Buck." "At my urgent invitation," explained Judith. "I am staying on at her invitation, but I followed my usual habit and went uninvited," said the old lady firmly. The old men listened in amazement. What was this? Miss Ann Peyton openly claiming relationship with old Dick Buck's granddaughter and riding around--minus wig and hoops--with the new-found cousin in a home-made blue car! Miss Ann was meek but happy. "Well, I swan!" exclaimed Pete Barnes. "What do you suppose he meant by saying they thought you were lost?" Judith asked on the way home from Ryeville. "Didn't they know you were coming to me?" "No," faltered Miss Ann. "I seldom divulge where I intend to visit next. That is my affair," she added with a touch of her former hauteur--a manner she had discarded with the wig and hoop skirt. Wild horses could not drag from her the fact that she had not known herself where she was going.