The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-09-30
A Foreordained
Partnership
By Curran Richard Creenley
Copyright, 1904, by T. G. Mcclure

1t WAS all over, and General Marvin
lay under the live oaks. while Miss
Rcbrcca sat alone in the dariened par
lOr Now the burden lay with her
klone and she followed YEARLY the
trail of the years that had brought
only trouble and loss.
.IeSSica stood still in the doorway at
sight of the bowed head. She could
find no words to say, but she drew
Miss Rrbrcc;l'S head down and held
her close to her strong. young arms.
Child, | do not mourn for him. 1t is
for yOu. JpSSic3l. this old house and a
pitiful ten acres is all that is left, and
even that cannot be sold during my
lifetime. There is nothing. nothing!
Don't talk to me now. l cannot bear
it. | must try To think" And Miss
Rrhcrca rrcpt away to her room.
Left 10 herself. the girl stood looking
out toward the clump of live oaks that
lowered above the generals grave. She
remembered that there had always
been little economies practiced by Miss
Rrbrr,a. and the days when the gen
cral would shut himself in with Il
MaSS of papers alw: $ after the visits
of those men from town. Now the end
had come But the old home WAS still
theirs. even though Sholn of its broad
acres. and an idea came To her. That
| night she wrote the lettsr that went
i'll the northern mail. signed with the
| hUyi$h S,rawl of u. l.. Marvin"
| business was unusually dull in the
| office of Repplier Bros, florists. and
! the morning mail received instant at
trntion. james Rrpplier tossed Il letter
across to his brother John. Read
| that. John"
! Rcrplier Bros.
GcntlcmCn--Is there any market for cut
/ flowers direct from the sOuth-cape jas
| mine. English vioIets. roses and all va
| rirtics OF the lily? Can make arrange
nrnts for packing and shipping to arrive
! in good condition. | should be glad TO re-
| ccive orders. Respectfully.
j. l. MARVIN
Aldana Mis-
john Ecpplirr laid the letter down
/ and looked up inquirin%ly. Might be
| Il good idea What do you Think"
well. We will be pretty apt to need
il large supply in the next forty-right
hours. as that Garling funeral will call
! for more than we can furnish from our
| own plant.
Ten minutes later the message went
off that electrified the household at
! BoiS dare:
Send all available blooms. Letter to
follow. Terms guaranteed.
REPFLIER BROS.
Miss Rebpcca was bewildprrd at the
very idea of money to be gained from
the prOfuIion that riOtod i'll hedge and
arbor and over the waste of unkcmpt
gardens. but .IrSSica rallied the idle ne
grucs and worked all night until the
dawn. when Uncle Reuben drove down
To AllHna with II wagon load of has
ErtS filled to the brim with fragrant
merchandise.
Evening brought the letter that made
! possibility certainty, and busy days
I followed for JrS>icl. More land was
leased and II little office constructed
in tie old weighing room of the gin
that nov served us Il packing room.
Miss Rchccca willingly let go the reins
| of BoiS dare Tito JeSSca'S hands.
| Once more Aunt AilS;l rrioiccd in Il
Well filled pantry, and bit by bit the
! oil h3:.lC' Was restored. excepting al
! ways the tall. Soldi"rly figure that had
I moved ont from among them forever.
November had come. and Il soft haze
lay over the sunny fields. and Il tang of
frost lurkrd in thc breeze. JCS$ica lay
in the hammock under the pines, her
! loOS"nrd hair blown back in Il ruddy
halo and the bars of sunlight ticckinS
the smooth olive of her rounded cheek
with golden light us she Swaycd back
and forth. Il picture that held the in
trader silent until the crunching of the
| pine needles beneath his feet brought
LcSSica To herself That he was very
good To look at was patent ut the first
glance The athletic figure. keen. dark
eyes and smiling mouth made James
RrppIirr an interesting study to the
mind feminine.
Il beg pardon. but is this Bois d Arc,
the Marvin plantatiun:"
"YcS: this is Bois dare. l am the
manager"
you: J. L. Marvin:" Repplier
stared blankly. but we had sup
puSrd''-
THAI l were man." she broke in
ncrvouSly. then. looking ut the card
that h" handed her. Mr. Repplier?'
and Il little later Rcpplier found him
self in the dim old parlor receiving the
gentle welcome of Miss Rchpcca.
He was carried away with Bots dare
and its vague air of Il better time that
dimly expressed the actual assured po-
Sitiun that had been his life motive.
Self made from the days of drifting
waifhood. when the two homeless boys
had struggled against the current Of
fba Thiro on streets II had hepn an I'M