tly, although his lip had a curl that
showed his disapproval of his family's snobbishness.

"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 f