But I persisted that it did, and bound his neck with the neckerchief, begging him to permit the liberty I was taking.
He looked at me then very kindly, saying, 'No one ever took so much trouble about me before,' and that seemed to me the most extraordinary shame that ever was.
When we were through the plantation we found a wooden shanty, or covered shed, in the field at the other side of the trees. The door of the place was not locked, and my knight set me down upon my feet and opened it. Then he led me in, and we found there was an old cart in it, full of cut grass.
'We must hide here a little while,' said my rescuer. 'Perhaps our pursuers will not come to this side of the trees.'
'I am afraid they will,' returned I, 'if they saw us entering the wood.'
'Then we must hide,' said he. 'Madam, can you get into the cart?'
'Easily,' I answered. 'My name,' I added shyly, for it was awkward for us not to know each other's names, 'is Margaret Brown.'
'Mistress Margaret Brown,' said he, pronouncing the words so beautifully that it seemed to me my cognomen had never sounded half so well before. Then he added, 'And mine is Hubert Blair.'
'Sir Hubert Blair?' said I thoughtfully, thinking what a very nice name it was and how well it seemed to suit the man.
'Yes,' answered he with a smile. 'But now, Mistress Brown, please to get into the cart and lie down. Then I will cover you with the cut grass which half fills it.'