Page:Mistress Madcap Surrenders (1926).pdf/276

 "N-nay, I never liked the name o' Hitty nor yet that o' Mehitable," she said softly.

"How," he stepped a little closer, "how like ye the name o' Mistress—Anthony Freeman?"

"I—I—like it!" admitted honest Mehitable.

A little later, Mistress Condit looked thoughtfully along the wedding table and sighed, though merriment reigned its length, from the bride's and bridegroom's ecstatic faces to Gray Hawk's kind eyes. How like Mehitable, thought her mother, to be up long before dawn to make ready for the wedding, to miss it, then to linger, carefree, in the orchard with John's friend, as Charity, after peeping, had informed her!

"What can be delaying the madcap!" wondered Mistress Condit. But the next instant she smiled, for the two missing young people strayed in the kitchen door.

It was not until they were standing before her that she saw they came hand in hand!