“It was I,” responded Nan shyly.
“And you care. Oh, I am sorry. I’ll change the name at once. It hasn’t been called so before this summer, for I’ve never found exactly what I liked for it, but when Dr. Paul told me about your Place o’ Pines the name haunted me and——”
“Please keep it,” said Nan impulsively. “There isn’t any Place o’ Pines down there now. It is only a memory, you see. I was a little girl, younger than Jack, when I thought of it and made it my special haunt. I told Dr. Paul about it and he was so interested, but——”
“He shouldn’t have told me, you think? He didn’t mention names, you see.”
“Oh, there was no harm in his telling, but it used to be such a great secret that I haven’t recovered from the feeling that it still must be. I’d like very much if you would name your place after mine. I ought to feel flattered and I do. It is like being godmother to a namesake.”
“How very sweetly you put it. I think you are very generous, and if you will be sponsor it will add still greater value to the name. It means very much more than it did to me, and it is our secret. Of course there is no use asking you if you like music. I saw it the very first day, and besides Jack told me you were a wonderful musician.”
Nan gave a deprecating shrug. “Jack is nothing if not enthusiastic and she thinks her old Nan does wonders, but my ambitions are far ahead of what I can accomplish. I love music better than anything and I hope some day to play well; I can’t acknowledge more than that.”
“It is a pity there isn’t a piano in camp; we could have some duets together, couldn’t we? That’s one advantage I have over you; I can carry my instrument with me and you cannot However——” He stopped short and held out his hand. “Auf wiedersehen! We’ll get Dr. Paul up here and then we shall be over at your camp every day.”
He pushed off in his canoe and Nan watched him gliding up the lake. She was excited, thrilled. It was all so romantic, so fascinating. To meet an artist who loved music, who had named his place after hers and with whom she shared this secret! She stood watching the canoe disappear around the bend and then she went slowly back to camp, her heart beating fast. It was like Lohengrin leaving Elsa, only this knight would return.
Jo, waving a letter, met her before she had gone far. “Open it quick, Nan. Jack thinks it must be from Ran Gordon for it is postmarked Boston. Do hurry and tell us if they are coming.”