Page:Mistress Madcap Surrenders (1926).pdf/275

 "What ladies?" asked Anthony, puzzled.

"All"—Mehitable's voice dropped to a whisper—"all the ladies ye ha' kissed!"

"But," said Anthony Freeman reproachfully, "that was before I met you, sweetheart!"

And now what could Mehitable do but surrender her hands to his. Yet, even as he drew her into his arms, poor Anthony made a mistake!

"Little Mistress Madcap!" he murmured.

At that, Mehitable backed away, snatched her hands out of his grasp.

"Nay, sir!" she stormed, as he gaped at her. "I am no child! Name me no ridiculous names! "And she turned and fled out of the door.

With a gesture of laughing despair, Anthony strode after the slender, flying figure. Perhaps because he could take two steps to her one, perhaps for no reason at all, he caught up with her in the loveliest spot in the orchard, a place of green leaves and soft grass and bird songs. Anthony halted her by stepping smartly into her path.

"An ye do not want to be called Mistress Madcap?" he asked her anxiously, "what do ye want to be called? Hitty?"

Mehitable glanced down at the buckle in her hand, meditatively flipped it, grinned to herself as she caught it dexterously, looked up at him provokingly as eighteen years of satin-cheeked, curly-haired maidenhood can.