He went out in the hall to have a last look at his luggage and make sure that nothing was forgotten, and Marie ran up to her room.
She stood there with clenched hands and lips firmly set; she was dreadfully afraid that she was going to cry and disgrace herself forever, and then what a memory Chris would have of her to carry away with him! She heard the taxi come up to the door, and the sound of the luggage being taken out, then Chris came running upstairs calling to her.
"Yes—here I am."
He came into the room in his overcoat; she had not seen him look so young or happy for weeks, and it gave her another pang to realize that he was quite pleased to be leaving her behind.
"I'm just off," he said. He came up to her and put his arm round her waist "Take care of yourself, Marie Celeste."
"Oh, yes." He turned her face upwards with a careless hand and kissed her cheek. "I'll send you a wire as soon as we get there."
"Yes." She stood quite impassively beside him, and then as he would have moved away she suddenly turned and put her arms round his neck.
"I hope you will have a very good time, Chris," she said, and for the first time since their marriage kissed him of her own accord.
The hot color flew to Chris' face; she had always been so cold and unemotional that this impulsive embrace embarrassed him.
For a moment he looked at her wonderingly, then he asked: