ouble up
with Cousin Ann and her horses are a nuisance and that old Billy
irritates the servants and--"

"My mother says an old ladies' home is the only thing for her," said
David Throckmorton.

"So do all the women. But who's going to bell the cat?" asked Big
Josh.

"I reckon we'll have to go in a body and speak in chorus," suggested
Little Josh. It was thus decided, after much argument. All the
cousins were willing to contribute something towards the support of
the old lady, but nobody was willing or able to take her in his home.

"Of course, we must provide for old Billy, too."

"Of course!"

"Well, after dinner all of you ride out to Buck Hill and there wait on
the poor old thing and together we can break the news to her. It's
going to make me feel awfully bad," declared Mr. Bob Bucknor.

"I reckon we'll all feel bad, but none of us must weaken," blustered
Big Josh. "And while we are discussing family matters, how about this
talk about that pretty Miss Judith Buck being a cousin?"

"The women folk have settled that. At least mine have; and since we
are the closest neighbors there at Buck Hill--" began Bob Bucknor.

"You may be the closest neighbors, but you are not the closest kin.
I'm for taking her into the clan. By golly, we haven't got too many
pretty women in our family to be turning any down. I tell you, I'm
going to call on her. Owe her a party call anyhow." Thus rumbled Big
Josh.

"Better not," warned Mr. Bob Bucknor and then, since the clan were
having dinner at the hotel where "you could" and a feeling of good
cheer had begun to permeate the diners, Mr. Bucknor proceeded to tell
the story, of course in the strictest confidence, about Tom Harbison
and the milk can, all of which went to convince others beside Big Josh
that Judith might prove a valuable acquisition to the family.

"I reckon she's coped with worse than our women," said Little Josh.
"With poverty staring her in the face and old Dick Buck for a
grandfather, she's kept her head up and made a living and got a tidy
bank account, so I hear. All by herself, too! I think I'll call when
you do, Big Josh, but I'll fight shy of the milk cans."

So it was voted that Judith was to be received into the family, Mr.
Bob Bucknor making a mental reservation that he would not divulge the
news to his wife and daughters until they were well out of Kentucky.
He had strong hopes that European travel might soften the hearts of
his daughters towards th