As the working day drew to a close Mary was kept busy filling a large
order for a kindly faced society woman and her pretty daughter.

"You have waited on me several times before," she told Mary, "and you
have such good taste. I want the very cutest bon-bons and favors, and
they must be delivered up on Riverside Drive to our house in time for
dinner. You know my daughter's engagement was announced in the papers
to-day, while we had intended to let it be a surprise at a big dinner
party to-night. Well, the dear girl is very happy, and I want this
dinner to give her one of the sweetest memories of her life."

Mary entered into the spirit with zest, and being a clever saleswoman,
she collected a wonderful assortment of dainty novelties and
confections, while the manager of the store rubbed his hands together
gleefully as he observed the correspondingly wonderful size of the bill.

"There, that should help the jollity along," said Mary. "I hope I have
pleased you. I envy your daughter, not for the candies and the dinner,
but for having such a mother. My mother has been dead for years."

The tears welled into her eyes, and the customer smiled tenderly at her.

"You are a dear girl, and if ever I have the chance to help you I will;
don't forget it. I am so happy myself; perhaps selfishly so. But my
life has been along such even lines, such a wonderful husband, and such
a daughter. I am so proud of her. She is marrying a young man who is
very rich, yet with a strong character, and he will make her very happy
I am sure. Well, dear, I will give you my address, for I wish you
would see personally that these goodies are delivered to us without
delay."

Mary took her pad and pencil.

"Mrs. William Trubus--Riverside Drive."

The girl's expression was curious; she remembered Bobbie's description
of the husband. It hardly seemed possible that such a man could be
blessed with so sweet a wife and daughter--but such undeserved
blessings seem too often to be the unusual injustice of Fate in this
twisted, tangled old world, as Mary well knew.

"All right, Mrs. Trubus; I shall follow your instructions and will go
to the delivery room myself to see that they are sent out immediately."

"Good afternoon, my dear," and Mrs. Trubus and her happy daughter left
the store.

Mary was as good as her word, and she made sure that the several
parcels were on their way to Riverside Drive before she returned to the
front of the s