Partnership, that was it! That was the mystery, oldest of the world's life, before which men and women fall down and worship in prayer and joyous laughter and exalted fear, the mystery wherein two becomes as one, one in faith and hope and tears and laughter, one for better or for worse; and each of them knowing with a deliberate surety that though all the sky crash down in ruin, there remains to welcome them one soul who cannot falter or fail--past life, past death, into hell or heaven itself. It is not every couple, however, who perceive this sort of thing in marriage. The honeymoon was ten days gone. Another four days and New York would loom up ahead, and the deep, far-flung line of the future's horizon would begin to circumscribe things and events and destiny for these two. Now, however, was no thought of the future. Around them hung the crisp, odorous freshness of the Carolina air; the long yellow hills with their furred throats of piney woods lifted into the sky and sang under the winds, and over the reaches of yellow sand, of creamy adobe mud, of desolate green-tinged hills, there was no hint that the summer had gone again and the days were shortening. Dorothy laid aside her letter and looked up. "That telegram, Reese? Was it anything important?" "From Macgowan, dear. All arrangements have been made, and on the first of the month Food Products passes into our hands. The stock-selling campaign will start moving just as soon as I get back to New York and take things in hand. I think I'll spread this stock out over the whole country." "Are you in a hurry to reach New York?" Armstrong laughed, and pressed her fingers in his. "Not a bit of it! From this day forth, lady, business comes second in my young life. For your sake, business is necessary; I'm going to give you the best there is in life, and to do that I make use of business. And I like it, too." "You'll keep it your servant, dear?" "You bet! Afraid you'll have a rival?" Armstrong caught her hand to his lips. "Never! By this hand I swear it!" "Don't be silly--oh, be as silly as you like; I love you!" She broke into a clear trill of laughter. Then she sobered, and gave him a swift, grave look. "Tell me something, Reese. The day we were married--that meeting in father's library! Was it because of some emergency in his affairs that the wedding was delayed?" Armstrong nodded. He had meant to speak of this before, but no opportunity had arisen. "Sure, Dot. You may as well know that your father's business was in bad shape. Those fellows who were running things, Williams, and the rest, were heading to a smash--and the crisis happened to come that day. It's all over with, thank heaven! We've chucked 'em out and will run the business right." "You're not going back to Evansville to manage it?" Armstrong's gaze came to her suddenly, as he searched for the meaning behind her words. "Listen, Dot; are we partners?" "In everything, my dear. Why?"