"It grew in my mind from an almost babyhood impression to a woman's principle," Leigh declared. "I never thought of telling anybody. But there was another thing that kept me firm that day on the Purple Notches. Years ago, when I was a baby girl, I remember dimly seeing two men in an awful fight one night just at dusk down on the railroad track by Clover Creek in Ohio. I thought one of them was my father. Miss Jane would never tell me anything about it, and made me promise never to speak of it. So I grew up sure that my father had committed some dreadful crime, and, Thaine, until I knew better, I couldn't take the risk of disgracing your name, the proud name of Aydelot." "Oh, Leigh, it is no matter what our forefathers do--they were all a bad lot if we go back far enough. It's what we do that counts. It's what I do as Thaine Aydelot, not as Asher Aydelot's son, that I must stand or fall by. It's how far we win our wilderness, little girl, not the wilderness our fathers won or lost." Thaine was sitting beside Leigh now, under the perfumy white honeysuckle blossoms. "But, Thaine, the bans are all lifted now." Leigh sat with face aglow. "Your grandfather wouldn't let his property go to a child of Virginia Aydelot, so Miss Jane couldn't give it to you. She left it to me--all her property, provided, or hoping, I would--you should--"she hesitated. "Yes, we should, and we will," Thaine finished the sentence. "Bless her good soul! I've always been rather fond of her, anyhow!" "And Darley Champers found out that my father was accidentally drowned long ago in Clover Creek. Uncle Jim says he never could swim, and so that burden is lifted. But, Thaine, will you want to go back to Ohio to the Aydelot homestead? I could sell it for a club house to the Cloverdale Country Club, but I waited till you should come, to know what to do." There was just a little quaver in Leigh's voice. "Do you want to go back to Ohio?" Thaine inquired. "Unless you do, the country clubbers may have the place. There is no homestead there for me. This is my homestead. I want that open ranch-land beyond the Purple Notches. But, Leigh, if my father as administrator and trustee for John Jacobs' estate can sell me the ground and your inheritance from Jane Aydelot pays for it, what is there left for me to do after all? I can't take favors and give none. I'll run away and enlist with the Regulars first." A rueful look came over his face now, and behind the words Leigh read a determined will.