XXI
"WHO IS MRS. MAY?"
Only one letter had Nick written to Carmen Gaylor--the one he had promised
to write, telling her of his arrival in New York; that he was "pretty
lonely, and didn't know how long he could stand for seeing no home
sights." It never occurred to him to write again; and Carmen was not
surprised at his remissness. She knew that Nick was not the sort of man
who likes to write letters or can put his feelings upon paper. But when
she received her invitation to visit Rushing River Camp, she could have
sung for joy.
"We are hoping that an old friend of yours, Mr. Nickson Hilliard, may be
with us when you come; as well as Miss Dene, the authoress," Mrs. Harland
said in her note. And Carmen believed that she had Hilliard to thank for
the compliment paid her by Falconer and his sister.
She knew that he had met Falconer and admired him; and putting two and two
together, she fancied that already Nick must have come West, meaning to
surprise her by his sudden appearance; that he had fallen in with Mrs.
Harland and Falconer on the journey, perhaps been invited by them, and
suggested, or at least hinted, that she should be asked to join the
house-party at the same time.
"Otherwise, I don't believe they'd ever have thought of me," she told
herself, with a humility which would have had an element of sulkiness if
she had not been half out of her wits with happiness over the idea that
Nick was near, and wanting her.
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