a mistake. Mother
prefers that I should not go to the party at the beach and of course I
want to do as she thinks best. I am sorry to have made you this trouble.
Perhaps one of the other girls will be asked to fill my place so that you
can still be one of the party."

Then Henry Mann tipped his hat and went down the street thinking how
beautiful the mother and daughter were. But Bess and her mother stood
there with their arms about each other, waiting for father to come home to
tea. And Bess was no longer unhappy.

MARKED FOR A MAST

Mary had just come from the little post-office in the town where she was
spending the summer, and in her hand she held a bunch of letters. Mail
time was the event of the day, and all the summer people flocked about the
office as soon as the little boat carrying the mail was heard blowing her
whistle below the bend.

To-day Mary had been very impatient as the old postmaster had slowly
sorted the mail. She had watched him look carefully at one address after
another, and, knowing him as she did, she was sure that many in the town
would know by night how many interesting letters had come to people in the
town. She had been almost the first at the little window for her mail and
then had had to brave the laugh of the rest when Mr. Blake had said,

"Here's your letter and it's a fat one that took four cents. My, but he
must like you."

Mary had been waiting for this very letter because in the last one George
had said, "I have a big surprise in store for you but I can't tell you
yet--maybe in the next letter."

So this long one must be the surprise. Eagerly she tore it open and read
the first two pages that told of things happening in the home town and
good times the young people were having. Then she read,

"And now for my secret. You know we are going to our camp for a whole
month of fun in August. Mother likes you and you are such good company for
us all that she tells me to write in her name and ask you to spend the
first two weeks with us there. Don't say no for we--no, I--must surely
have you to share our good times."

The first two weeks! Those were the weeks she had planned to go to the
conference and train for some special work for the church during the
coming winter. The church had said they would pay her expenses if she
cared to go, and already she had made application. Oh, dear! Now what
should she do? She had said to her pastor, "I want to go to the conference
more t