Page:Mistress Madcap Surrenders (1926).pdf/274

 Mehitable tried to raise her eyes—strange, what weight upon her lids!

"Nay, Captain Freeman," she began precipitately.

"Ye called me Anthony that night i' Newark!" interrupted the young man impetuously. "Oh, my dear—won't ye tell me wherein I ha' offended?"

Mehitable spoke in a very small voice. "Ye—ye did not say farewell i' Newark! Ye left without a word!"

"Why, my dear," Anthony stared at her in real surprise, "I left a note! Did ye not receive it at Mistress Hedden's? I told ye then I had to return to Morris Town at once!"

"Did—did you, indeed?" faltered Mehitable. She made a forgiving gesture. "Ah, well, it must have been o'erlooked in that despairing household, for they heard that Master Hedden did freeze his feet that dreadful night the British marched him clear to New York without shoes and he was cast into the Sugar House prison without proper medical attention! He can only come home to die, now, an he does get freed!"

Anthony made a gesture of sympathy to match Mehitable's; but his own affairs were too hang-fire for him to pause long over others' troubles.

"And—what else am I to be forgiven for?" he asked eagerly.

"Those ladies," murmured Mehitable.