James was radiant. He kissed the perfect lips turned toward him before he answered. “Oh, to make me president of the Transcontinental maybe. How should I know? It's an olive branch. Isn't that enough?”
“When shall you go?”
He looked at his watch. “The limited leaves at nine-thirty. That gives me nearly an hour.”
“You're not going to-night?”
“I'm going to-night. I must, dear. Those are the orders and I've got to obey them.”
“But suppose I give you different orders. Surely I have some rights, to-night of all nights. Why, we haven't been engaged ten minutes. Business doesn't always come first.”
James hesitated. “It's the last thing I want to do, but when Joe Powers says 'Come!' I know enough to jump.”
“But when I say stay?” she pleaded.
“Then I stop the prettiest mouth in the world with kisses and run away before I hear the order.” Gaily he suited the action to the word.
But, for once swift, she reached the door before him.