She nodded, timid eyes avoiding his.
"Am I forgiven?"
"I—I—if you'll forgive me—" she faltered.
"Then that's all right!" he cried heartily. "I'm glad," he added with unquestionable sincerity—"and sorry I was such a brute. I ought to have understood what a strain you'd been under. Shall we say no more about it?"
She nodded again: "Please...."
"Good!" He offered his hand frankly, subjected hers to a firm, cool pressure, and moved back to his study door. "Good night."
She whispered her response, and ran upstairs to her room, almost beside herself with delight.
It was all right!
Best of all, the advances had come from him; he it was who had sued for pardon where the fault was hers—clear proof that he thought enough of her to wish to retain her friendship!
With a glad and comforted heart she settled down to attack anew the vexatious problem of her rôle in "The Jade God."